In our life, we have rarely expressed our gratitude to the one who’d lived those years with us.In fact, we don’t have to wait for anniversaries to thank the ones close to us—the ones so easily overlooked. If I have learned anything about giving thanks, it is this: give it now！While your feeling of appreciation is alive and sincere, act on it. Saying thanks is such an easy way to add to the world’s happiness.
Saying thanks not only brightens someone else’s world, but it also brightens yours. If you’re feeling left out, unloved or unappreciated, try reaching out to others. It may be just the medicine you need.
Of course, there are times when you can’t express gratitude immediately. In that case don’t let embarrassment sink you into silence—speak up the first time you have the chance.
Once a young minister, Mark Brian, was sent to a remote parish of Kwakiutl Indians in British Columbia. He had been told that the Indians did not have a word for thank you. But Brian soon found that these people had exceptional generosity. Instead of saying thanks, it is their custom to return every favor with a favor of their own, and every kindness with an equal or superior kindness. They do their thanks.
I wonder if we had no words in our vocabulary for thank you, would we do a better job of communicating our gratitude? Would we be more responsive, more sensitive and more caring?
Thankfulness sets in motion a chain of reaction that transforms people all around us—including ourselves, for no one ever misunderstands the melody of a grateful heart.
【小題1】When we say something for what others do for us, it ______.

A．is good for both us and people who help us

B．benefits the people who do something for us

C．wastes our and our friends' time at the same time

D．does harm to both us and people who help us

【小題2】According to the writer,        could be the best way to prevent ourselves from being left out.

A．seeing a doctor to find the right medicine we need

B．expressing our gratitude in an easy way

C．speaking up the moment we have the chance

D．showing others actively we are willing to help them

【小題3】Mark Brain’s story is mentioned in the passage in order to show the fact that       .

A．the Indians didn’t have any words for appreciation

B．the Indians were particularly generous to others

C．some people may express their gratitude through different approaches

D．Mark Brain set the Indians an example to show saying thanks is very important

Impossible cases are not forever. While it is impossible for one person, it is possible for another. In a word, everything is possible.
Someone says, “Success belongs to those who can look at the complex challenges offered by the world as inspiration.” So your challenges are golden opportunities for success. How can there be miracles if there are no obstacles? How will you chase the storm if there is no storm? You need challenges to reveal your ability. Success doesn’t come out of nothing; success comes from the problems you face. Those who refuse to give in come out smiling.
Robert X. Perez says, “The seeds of success spring from failure’s ashes.” Failure is not defeat; it is the pointer to do better than what you just did. You have to know that you are in a constant study of life. What you face is for your training. Samuel Aidoo says, “Each failure is simply another chapter in the story of our lives. To fail is to understand what not to do. Remember it and don’t give up until your goal is achieved.”
What do you do when you face difficulty? Yeah, life is difficult, but you do not give up. Have a positive and calm outlook on your circumstances(狀況) and make the best of them. You may learn something new. You can develop mental toughness. Mental toughness means to be able to see the long-term gains rather than be put off by short-term pains. Once you have this toughness, you have the winning edge(優(yōu)勢).
The only things in life you ever really regret are the chances you didn’t take. You will regret when you see the consequences of not seizing the opportunities when they arose. Take chances every day!
【小題1】The main point of the passage is that  ____________.

A．success comes out of nothing

B．never give up and you may achieve success

C．everything is easy to deal with

D．impossible things do not exist

【小題2】 According to the author, success often comes to people who  ____________.

A．have good opportunities

B．face failure

C．don’t fear difficulties

D．have a lot of luck

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

A．We can perform miracles by overcoming difficulty.

B．We will seem greater after overcoming difficulty.

C．Everyone will fail for numerous times because of difficulty.

D．Most of us can’t show our ability because of difficulty.

【小題4】From Paragraph 3 we can learn that ____________.

A．failure means great success in the future to everyone

B．a(chǎn)ll people can achieve success if they keep leaning

C．most people end up with failure because it often happens

D．failure can help people to achieve success if they don’t give up

A professor I have worked pretty closely with has been diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer. It has been devastating(悲慘的) for his family and heartbreaking for his students.
What made him extraordinary was not only that he was a rising star. He had only recently collected the highest honors for young researchers at the White House. We truly admire him—as someone put it, ‘He always has a smile and a kind word for everyone.” It is very hard to find someone who is extremely intelligent should be so nice a human being.
I decided that we needed him to know our attitude and also how we are all praying for his recovery. I bought him a simple card which read, ‘Healing thoughts and wishes coming your way.” I met all the students he worked closely with and got them to sign on it. Each student in his laboratory signed and also added a message. ‘We love you so much”, ‘We miss you! We need you back here—recover soon”… These were some of the messages that were written. Most of the students were really glad we were doing this and said it was a very good idea to give it to him.
He is still undergoing intense treatment, and along with his family is trying his best to stay optimistic and hopeful. I didn’t see a trace of self-pity or sadness when I met him last week. Instead, he paid attention to every word of my presentation and asked me several questions related to my work. I was amazed at how much he gave his 100% on that day in spite of being in pain because of chemotherapy( 化療)，he did not know if he even had another month to live. “I am trying to focus on staying positive, hoping to be back this summer,” he said.
Needless to say, I saw an expression of joy and hope on his face as he opened the card. He said he was truly touched to see the messages from the students he worked closely with.
There is one thing I learnt from last week: It is so important to tell people how much they mean to us and what an inspiration they are before it becomes too late. My professor, in spite of being too sick to teach classes, has managed to continue being a great teacher, introducing his last valuable message to us.
【小題1】The professor was admired because _______.

A．he was very intelligent	B．he had won many honors
C．he had noble personalities	D．he was very determined

【小題2】What do the underlined words “our attitude” in paragraph 3 refer to?

A．Our worry about his health.	B．Our pray for his health.
C．Our admiration for him.	D．Our pity for him.

【小題3】 When the writer visited the professor at hospital, what surprised him was that the professor ________.

A．was suffering form great pain	B．was still very confident
C．didn’t know he would die soon	D．still cared for others

【小題4】 Of the following statements, the writer may agree that _________.

A．the professor loves his job very much

B．few students supported the writer’s decision at first

C．the professor will go back to teach this summer

D．the professor often feels sorry for himself

【小題5】According to the last paragraph, what did the author learn?

A．One should remain optimistic all the time.

B．It is important to let people know about their importance.

C．Teachers should have a positive influence on their students.

D．It is never too late to make a right decision.

When middle-aged Alex quit his job and made up his mind to become a self-employed writer, no one could tell for sure whether he would succeed or not．He found a cold storage room in a building, set up a used typewriter and settled down to work．
After a year or so, however, Alex began to doubt himself．He found it was difficult to earn his living by selling what he wrote．But Alex determined to put his dream to the test—even though it meant living with uncertainty and fear of failure．This is the shadowland（虛幻世界）of hope, and anyone with a dream must learn to live there．
One day Alex got a call, "We need an assistant, and we’re paying $ 6,000 a year．” $ 6,000 was real money in 1960．It would enable Alex to get a nice apartment, a used car and more．Besides, he could write in his spare time．As the dollars were dancing in Alex’s head, something cleared his senses．He had dreamed of being a writer? Full time．"Thanks, but no," Alex said firmly and swiftly, "I’m going to stick it out and write．"
After Alex got off the phone, he pulled out everything he had: two cans of vegetables and 18 cents．Alex put the cans and cents into a paper bag, saying to himself," There’s everything you’ve made of yourself so far．I’m not sure I ever felt so low．"
Finally his work was published in 1970．Instantly he had the kind of fame and success that few writers ever experienced．The shadows had turned into focus of attention．
Then one day, Alex found a box filled with things he had owned years before．Inside was a paper bag with two cans and 18 cents．Suddenly he pictured himself working in that cold storage room．It reminds Alex, and anyone with a dream, of the courage and persistence it takes to stay the course in the shadowland．
【小題1】Why did Alex give up his job?

A．Because he didn’t like the working conditions．

B．Because he couldn’t earn enough to make a living．

C．Because he wanted to be a full-time writer．

D．Because he felt he had no potential in his job．

【小題2】What did Alex express when he answered the call?

A．He refused the job offer．

B．He was willing to give them a hand．

C．He expected them to pay him more money．

D．He would write in his spare time．

【小題3】What kind of person is Alex?

A．Determined．

B．Modest

C．Shy．

D．Brave．

【小題4】Which of the following can summarize the passage best?

A．Look before you leap．

B．Two heads are better, than one．

C．Hold on to your dream, and it will come true．

D．A bird in hand is worth two in the bush．

“What is the most important thing you’ve done in your life?” The question was put to me during a presentation I gave to a group of lawyers.
The answer came to me in an instant. It’s not the one I gave, because the situation was not right. As a lawyer in the entertainment industry, I knew the audience wanted to hear some amusing stories about my work with well-known people. But here’s the true answer:
The most important thing I’ve ever done occurred on October 8, 1990. I began the day playing tennis with an old friend I hadn’t seen for a while. Between points we talked about what had been happening in each other’s lives. He and his wife had just had a baby boy, who was keeping them up at night.
While we were playing, a car came screaming up the road toward the courts. It was my friend’s father, who shouted to my friend that his baby had stopped breathing and was being rushed to the hospital. In a flash my friend was in the car and gone, disappearing in a cloud of dust.
For a moment I just stood there, paralyzed(呆若木雞). Then I tried to figure out what I should do. Follow my friend to the hospital? There was nothing I could accomplish there, I convinced myself. My friend’s son was in the care of doctors and nurses, and nothing I could do or say would affect the outcome. Be there for moral support? Well, maybe. But my friend and his wife both had large families, and I knew they’d be surrounded by relatives who would provide more than enough comfort and support, whatever happened. All I could do at the hospital, I decided, was to get in the way. Also, I had planned a full day with my family, who were waiting for me to get home. So I decided to head back to my house and check in my friend later.
As I started my car, I realized that my friend had left his truck and keys at the courts. I now faced another problem. I couldn’t leave the keys in the truck. So I decided to go to the hospital and give him the keys.
When I arrived, I was directed to a room where my friend and his wife were waiting. As I had thought, the room was filled with family members silently watching my friend comfort his wife. I went in and stood by the door, trying to decide what to do next. Soon a doctor appeared. He approached my friend and his wife, and in a quiet voice told them that their son had died.
For a long time the two held each other and cried, unaware of the rest of us standing around in pained silence. After they had calmed themselves, the doctor suggested they spend a few moments with their son.
My friend and his wife stood up and walked past their families. When they reached the door, my friend saw me standing in the corner. He came over and hugged me and started to cry. My friend’s wife hugged me, too, and said, “Thanks for being here.”
For the rest of that morning, I sat in the emergency room of that hospital and watched my friend and his wife hold the body of their infant son, and say goodbye.
It’s the most important thing I have ever done.
The experience taught me two lessons.
First: The most important thing I’ve ever done happened when I was completely helpless. None of the things I had learned in university, in three years of law school or in six years of legal practice were of any use in that situation. Something terrible was happening to people Icared about, and I was powerless to change the outcome. All I could do was standing by and watching it happen. And yet it was critical that I do just that—just be there when someone needed me.
Second: The most important thing I’ve done almost didn’t happen because of things I had learned in classroom and professional life. Law school taught me how to take a set of facts, break them down and organized them. These skills are critical for lawyers. When people come to us for help, they’re often stressed out and depend on a lawyer to think logically. But while learning to think, I almost forget how to feel. Today I have no doubt that I should have leapt into my car without hesitation and followed my friend to the hospital.
From that one experience I learned that the most important thing in life isn’t the money you make, the status you attain or the honors you achieve. The most important thing in life is the kids’ team you coach or the poem you write—or the time when you’re just somebody’s friend.
【小題1】When he was asked about the most important thing he had done in life at a presentation, the author __________.
A felt it was not an interesting question           
B. thought for a while and spoke his mind
C. gave an answer from a lawyer’s point of view   
D. didn’t give the real answer
【小題2】When he saw his friend rush to the hospital, the author could not decide whether to follow mainly because he thought _________.

A．he had to stay with his family	B．his friend did not need his help
C．he would not be of much help	D．the baby would be in the doctor’s care

【小題3】The purpose of the author’s description of the scene at the hospital is to inform us that ______.

A．he found out that he was in the way

B．he would have felt guilty if he had not been there

C．he regretted that he went too later

D．his friend would have felt better if he had not been there

【小題4】Which of the following is conveyed in this story?

A．Family and relatives can not take the place of friends.

B．More people are a great comfort when one is in trouble.

C．It is best to be here when someone needs you.

D．You can certainly help a friend if you want to.

【小題5】The author learned from his own experience that_______.

A．what is taught in school is usually of no use

B．a(chǎn) lawyer cannot learn much in classrooms

C．a(chǎn) lawyer should know people’s feeling first

D．he needs to be able to feel as well as think logically

He almost didn’t see the old lady, stranded on the side of the road, but even in the dim light of day, he could see she needed help. So he pulled up in front her Mercedes and got out.
Even with the smile on his face, she was worried. No one had stopped to help for the last hour or so. Was he going to hurt her? He didn’t look safe; he looked poor and hungry. He could see that she was frightened, standing out there in the cold. He knew how she felt.
He said, “I am here to help you, ma’am. Why don’t you wait in the car where it’s warm? By the way, my name is Bryan Anderson.”
Well, all she had was a flat tire, but for an old lady, that was bad enough. Bryan crawled under the car looking for a place to put the jack, skinning his knuckles a time or two. Soon he was able to change the tire. But he had to get dirty and his hands hurt.
As he was tightening up the lug nuts, she rolled down the window and began to talk to him. She told him that she was from St. Louis and was just passing through. She couldn’t thank him enough for coming to her aid.
Bryan just smiled as he closed her trunk. The lady asked how much she owed him. Any amount would have been all right with her. She already imagined all the awful things that could have happened, had he not stopped. Bryan never thought twice about being paid. This was not a job to him. This was helping someone in need, and God knows there were many people who had given him a hand in the past. He had lived his whole life that way, and it never occurred to him to act any other way.
He told her that if she really wanted to pay him back, the next time she saw someone who needed help, she could give that person the assistance they needed, and Bryan added, “And think of me.”
He waited until she started her car and drove off. It had been a cold and depressing day, but he felt good as he headed for home, disappearing into the twilight.
【小題1】This story most probably took place_______.

A．in a garage

B．on a highway

C．in a busy street

D．near a gas station

【小題2】When the man approached the old lady, the first thing he did was to______.

A．a(chǎn)sk what was wrong with her car	B．get the old lady out of her car
C．change her tire as soon as possible	D．make her know he wanted to help her

【小題3】The underlined part in Paragraph 6 suggests that________.

A．the old lady had got ready to pay the man

B．the old lady was grateful to the man

C．the man had a lot of difficulty changing the tire

D．the man didn’t stop changing the tire

【小題4】Which of the following words can best describe the man?

A．Warm-hearted and sensitive.	B．Careful and serious.
C．Thoughtful and helpful.	D．Generous and open-minded.

【小題5】 It can be inferred from the last paragraph that ______________.

A．the man was happy after helping the old lady

B．the man received a lot of money from the old lady

C．the man made the old lady feel cold and depressed

D．the man felt extremely frustrated all the way home

“Hey, Jenna, do you think we’ll still be friends when we’re eighty – two?” I asked my friend. It was clear she was wondering where I had come up with such a question. Losing Jenna would  be like losing a very close sister. We hung out together. We gave each other advice.
“Of course, we’ll still be friends when we’re eighty – two.” Jenna announced loudly.
The next year, in fourth grade, we met Jamie. The three of us soon became close friends. We played together almost every day. I thought even time couldn’t pull us apart, but I was sadly mistaken.
The three of us started fighting a lot. Before Christmas, we had a really big fight, and Jamie and Jenna were against me, both saying I was bossy. I felt helpless and lonely. I thought Christmas would be horrible!
I was surprised when Jenna came to my house and gave me an awesome Christmas card she had made for me. I was so sure that she was still disappointed with me.
“Wow, ” I said. breaking the silence as we stood on either side of my front door. “Thanks.”
“Okay…well…I have to go,” she said softly.
“Okay. See you late then…” and I closed the door.
“Who was that at the door?” my mum asked.
The card stared off with “Merry Christmas”, but then it said, “I am so glad we’re friends. I am sorry about what I said when we were fighting. A fight won’t stop us from being friends. Besides, we said we were going to be friends even when we’re eight – two.”
I stopped reading and started laughing. I couldn’t believe I had forgotten what she said that day in her back yard. I couldn’t believe I had been so selfish in trying to get even and making my friends feel sorry for me that I had forgotten about real friendship.
【小題1】How would the author and Jenna get along with each other after Christmas?

A．They would be close friends again.

B．They would not speak to each other.

C．They would lose touch with each other.

D．They would go on fighting with each other.

【小題2】The underlined sentence “I was bossy” in the fourth last paragraph means “_________”.

A．I looked like a boss	B．I acted as boss
C．I was fond of giving orders	D．I was fond of fighting

【小題3】Which of the following is the right time order according to the passage?
a. Jamie became our friend.
b. I felt lonely and unhappy.
c. Jenna, Jamie and I fought a lot.
d. Jenna brought me a Christmas card.
e. I was sorry for what I did to her.
f. Jenna and I promised to be lifelong friends.

A．f – a – b – c – e – d	B．a(chǎn) – c – f – b – d – e
C．a(chǎn) – b – c – f – e – d	D．f – a – c – b – d – e

【小題4】The author was delighted when she read the card from Jenna because _________.

A．what Jenna wrote was funny

B．Jenna would be her friend again

C．she was happy about the coming Christmas

D．she was happy to receive a Christmas cad

閱讀理解（共20小題；每小題2分，滿分40分）
第一節(jié)：（共15小題，每小題2分，滿分30分）
閱讀下列短文，從每題所給的四個選項（A、B、C和D）中，選出最佳選項，并在答題卡上將該項涂黑。
When she flew into Athens on an unseasonably cold day in September, she quickly realized that she hadn’t brought enough warm clothes. Walking through the streets of the Greek capital, she happened to see a nice coat in a shop window and went in to ask about the price. The coat was too expensive, but as Christine was about to leave the shop, the woman asked her where she was from. When Christine answered Australia, the woman agreed to reduce the price because she knew a nice girl from Australia called Elena. Christine then noticed a photo of a young man standing next to a motorbike. Her eyes opened wide with astonishment. It was Nicos! Indeed the young man was Nicos, and the woman in the shop was Maria. She had come to Athens from Santorini to look after the shop for a friend.
Sadly, the story has a tragic ending. Nicos had been killed in a motorcycle accident.
“I wanted to tell Elena,” said Maria. “But I didn’t know how. Now that I have met you, I know that it’s time to tell her.”
【小題1】Elena went to Greece in order to visit        .

A．her parents

B．Christine

C．Nicos.

D．her grandparents

【小題2】Why did Nicos stop writing to Elena?

A．He had moved away.

B．His mother forbade him to do so.

C．He h ad died in an accident.

D．They had lost touch with each other.

【小題3】What can be inferred from the fact that Christine and Maria had a talk in the shop?

A．They two had planned the talk before.	B．They met each other accidentally.
C．They were business partners.	D．They recognized each other.

A person named Bernard Jackson today is a free man, but he has many bitter memories. He spent five years in prison after a jury (陪審團(tuán))wrongly convicted (判處…有罪) him of raping two women. At Jackson’s trial, although two witnesses testified that Jackson was with them in another location at the time of the crime, he was convicted  anyway. Why? The jury believed the testimony(證詞)of the two victims, who positively identified Jackson as the man who had attacked them. The court eventually freed Jackson after the police found the real criminal.
Many factors influence the accuracy of eyewitness testimony. For instance, witnesses sometimes see photographs of several suspects before they try to identify the person they saw in a group of people. They can become confused by seeing many photographs of similar faces. The number of people in the group, and whether it is a person or a photograph, may also affect a witness’s decision. People sometimes have difficulty identifying people of other races. The questions the police ask witnesses also have an effect on them.
Many people believe that police officers are more reliable than ordinary people. Psychologists decided to test this idea, and they discovered that it is not true. Two psychologists showed a film of crimes to both police officers and civilians. The psychologists found no difference between the police and the civilians in correctly remembering the details of the crimes.
Despite all the possibilities for inaccuracy, courts cannot omit eyewitness testimony from a trial. American courts depend almost completely on eyewitness testimony to resolve(決定)court cases. Sometimes it is the only evidence to a crime, such as rape. Furthermore, eyewitness testimony is often correct. Although people do sometimes make mistakes, and convict innocent people, more importantly, eyewitness testimony has rightly convicted a larger number of guilty people.
American courts depend on the ability of the twelve jurors, and not the judges, to determine the accuracy of the witness’s testimony. It is their responsibility to decide if a certain witness could actually see, hear and remember what happened.
【小題1】Bernard Jackson was found guilty and sentenced 5 years’ prison because________.

A．the victims insisted that he was the attacker

B．he admitted the crime of raping two women

C．the police discovered evidence leading to his guilt

D．the eyewitness proved the victims’ testimony

【小題2】 The following statements may be the reasons for why sometimes the eyewitness’ testimony is not accurate EXCEPT ________.

A．the eyewitness is confused by the police’s questions

B．the eyewitness is shown photos of many similar faces

C．the eyewitness lacks the professional help from police

D．the eyewitness can’t identify people of other races clearly.

【小題3】An inaccurate eyewitness testimony may lead to________.

A．the misunderstanding of the case

B．the disbelief in the court

C．the disrespect for the eyewitness

D．the conviction of an innocent person

【小題4】Eyewitness testimony is important because ___________.

A．it can be relied on to detect criminals in all cases.

B．it is sometimes the only way to resolve court cases.

C．it is sometimes the only clue for police investigation.

D．it is more reliable than physical evidences to a crime.

【小題5】 According to the text, we can infer that ________.

A．eyewitness testimony is valuable, though sometimes incorrect.

B．police identification is more reliable than that of the ordinary people

C．crime victims often fail to give positive identification of the suspects

D．the jury relies on the judge than the eyewitness for a decision

I suppose that having been brought up in the countryside and close  to animals，it wasn’t remarkable(不平常的)when I decided  to become a vet(獸醫(yī))．Luckily I was also good at all the necessary science subjects. So after the college entrance examination I found myself at a veterinary college，training to look after animals in all kinds of situations. I hoped that I would be able to work in the research field so that I could find cures for animal diseases.
Much to my surprise，I found public health care was a very important aspect of my course. This is an area of animal medicine where a vet’s work has many things in common with the work of a doctor of human diseases. I particularly liked it because I recognized that the study of animal diseases can help human medicine. As we know，many infectious diseases come from animals—including SARS and bird flu.
Some of the infections have only been understood after carefully analytical work in labs by animal doctors. They helped identify the animal source for diseases such as SARS. They were also the first to identify various kinds of viruses. Sometimes vets are also able to suggest a cure for human illnesses. When I found this out I was determined to make public health medicine my chosen career.
After graduation，I applied for a job in public health. Soon I found myself concerned with the problem of bird flu. This is  an illness that attacks birds，but humans can catch the disease  if they are in close contact with infected birds. Though the job  is dangerous，it makes me proud that vets and other animal  disease researchers are in the front line helping to fight these  unknown human diseases

【小題1】The writer wanted to become a vet mainly because______.

A．he did well in all necessary subjects

B．he wanted to help animals

C．he was close to animals in his early life

D．he wanted to find cures for human diseases

【小題2】What made the writer particularly like the course of public health care was that________.

A．it was both important and interesting

B．it could help him connect many human diseases with animals

C．it made a vet’s work very much like a doctor’s

D．it could help human medicine by studying animal diseases

【小題3】What can be followed if this passage continues?

A．The writer’s happy family life.

B．How the writer did research work in studying bird flu.

C．How the writer dealt with the relationship with other workmates.

D．What difficulty the writer met in the research work.

【小題4】Which of the following is implied in the passage?

A．Animals with infectious diseases should be killed.

B．Keeping animals is dangerous to humans.

C．Dangerous as a vet’s job is，it is significant to the human race.

D．Animal researchers work in the same way as human doctors.

【小題5】Which of the following statements is NOT true?

A．Being a vet is helpful to both animals and humans.

B．Vets can cure both animals and humans.

C．Vets helped identify animal resources for SARS.

D．Both SARS and bird flu are infectious diseases coming from animals.