A farmer had a cow. He took very good care of this cow and one day when it was ill, he was very worried. He telephoned the vet.
“What’s the problem?” The vet asked him when he arrived.
“My cow’s ill,” the farmer said. “I don’t know what's the matter with her. She’s lying down and won’t eat. She’s making a strange noise.”
The vet looked over the cow. "She’s certainly ill," he said, "and she needs to take some very strong medicine."
He took a bottle out of his box, put two pills into his hand and said, "Give her these. The pills should make her better."
“How should I give them to her?” the farmer asked.
The vet gave him a tube (管子)and said, "Put this tube in her mouth, then put the pills in the tube and blow. That’ll make it."
The next day the vet came to the farm again. The farmer was sitting outside his house and looked more worried.
“How’s your cow?” the vet asked.
“No change,” the farmer said, “and I’m feeling very strange myself.”
“Oh?” the vet said, "Why?"
“I did what you said,” the farmer answered. “I put the tube in the cow’s mouth and then put two pills down it.”
“And?” the vet asked.
“The cow blew first,” the farmer said.
【小題1】In the story, the vet must be _________.

A．the farmer's friend	B．a(chǎn) milk factory
C．a(chǎn) hospital for cows	D．a(chǎn) doctor for animals

【小題2】The farmer asked the vet for help when his cow _______

A．couldn't lie down	B．didn't eat the pills
C．couldn't make any noise	D．was ill

【小題3】What medicine did the vet give the farmer?

A．Bottle of pills.

B．A long tube.

C．Two pills.

D．A small box.

【小題4】The vet taught the farmer how _________.

A．to blow the tube

B．to make the cow take the pills

C．to take the medicine

D．to put the tube in his mouth

【小題5】Which of the following is true?

A．The farmer ate the pills himself.

B．The cow got better after taking the medicine.

C．The vet came to help the farmer change the cow the next day.

D．The farmer waited for the vet outside his house the next day.

One day a student went to see his teacher. He had been given an important position and now was coming to say goodbye to his teacher. The old man asked him how he would live among high officials. The student answered, “ I will be all right. I have prepared a hundred high hats, one for each official I will meet. I am sure I will succeed.” The teacher got angry on hearing this.  “What?” he cried. “Is this what ten years of my teaching has made of you? Nothing but flatterer(拍馬屁的人)?” “Excuse me, honored(尊敬的) master,” the student  rose to his feet and apologized hurriedly. “But you have always been absorbed in(沉浸于) your studies and don’t know how vulgar(庸俗的) the world has come to be. There are few men in the world who are above flatterers like you.” “There is something true in what you said,” the teacher nodded, smiling with one of the student’s “high hats” on.
【小題1】The student came to say goodbye to his teacher because_____________.

A．he had got hundred hats to sell

B．he had got a fairly high position in society

C．he wanted to see his parents in his home town

D．he moved away to another city

【小題2】The student would live among high officials by___________.

A．selling hats to them

B．making a hundred hats for them

C．flattering them

D．serving them

【小題3】The teacher was angry with__________.

A．himself

B．the society

C．his student

D．high officials

【小題4】The phrase “rose to his feet” means________.

A．stood up	B．kicked with his feet
C．became quite excited	D．raised his feet

【小題5】The teacher____________.

A．liked to be flattered as well

B．really knew nothing about the vulgar world

C．was in need of a high hat

D．was satisfied with the new hat

It is common and usual to see people freak out when they face challenges in their life. We all pass in different life problems and challenges. No one is free of life problems. Only a dead man faces no problem. As long as you are alive, challenges are everywhere.
How do you face problems and challenges in your life? Problems and challenges are the building blocks of your personality. They make you who you are. Besides, whether what happened in your life builds or destructs you depends on how you look at it. If you take your problems as troubles, they will be troubles and may cause destruction. If you take them as constructive tools, you are going to be built up on them.
Problems are everywhere. No one can avoid them. And they are good too. They open up a different look and opportunity if you are willing to see. When you face troubles, do not frustrate or freak out. Just cool yourself to think in a different direction. Think in a positive way. Every problem has its own good as well as bad sides. Focus on the good one. Look at the bright side.
Besides, there is always a good person, perhaps your mom or dad, or one of your friends, right beside you who can turn everything into your best if you are willing to turn to them. No matter what happens­, they will be there to help you. Trust them and they will never let you down. All you need to know is that you are loved wherever you are.
【小題1】What’s the meaning of the underlined phrase “freak out” in Paragraph 1 ?

A．feel shy.

B．stay calm.

C．keep up.

D．feel upset.

【小題2】In Paragraph 2, the writer implies that______

A．problems cause troubles	B．a(chǎn)ttitude is everything
C．challenges can be avoided	D．personalities are built on failures

【小題3】According to the last paragraph, when we're in trouble, we _______.

A．can only depend on our parents	B．a(chǎn)re not alone
C．should only believe ourselves	D．a(chǎn)re not confident

【小題4】What’s the writer’ purpose to write the passage?

A．To encourage.

B．To compare.

C．To prove.

D．To explain.

Normally when I pop in to see my parents, my mum bursts out of the house with a big smile. Not today. "Your brother," she says, "he's showered twice this afternoon. Does he know how much it costs to run this house?" Are we limiting water now? I didn't think the recession(蕭條) had got that bad. My poor brother is a boomerang kid. Like 60 percent of guys immediately after university, he's back at home. Graduating ￡15,000 in debt and faced with unpaid internships(實習(xí)期) or low wages thanks to the flooding of the market with graduates, a lot of twenty some things simply don't have the necessary income or parental support to live independently.
Three years after getting their degree, most graduates are still not earning above the average salary. They have a near 50 percent tax burden, thanks to student loan repayments and council tax on top of income tax and national insurance. Unless you have parents who can afford to finance what is effectively a second home for them, returning to the parental nest is often the only affordable option.
The boomerang effect is becoming even more pronounced thanks to the recession. One in four of those losing their job during the downturn is under 25. Only 13 percent of final-year students have jobs. Home is the only place many are going: 111,000 16-29 year olds moved back home in 2008, five times the average of previous years.
Boomeranging is bad news. It poses serious problems for parents' finances. They've already supported their children through university, topping up loans with handouts, averaging ￡12,300 in total, to keep twenty somethings afloat. Now their retirement savings are being eaten away by continuously dependent children.
It’s bad for the returning kids too. Ambitious young people will be left frustrated, seeing their university peers from more wealthy backgrounds excel only because parents' money was there to support them through the initial period of poverty wages. Those living in rural areas are further disadvantaged by lack of access to cities where most new jobs are located. Half of all young people now feel they will not achieve their goals. Research by the Prince's Trust reveals that one-quarter of all 16-25 year olds are regularly down or depressed. And depression does not help self-motivation, the very trait needed to seek out job opportunities.
【小題1】In paragraph 1, the mother’s criticizing her son for showering too often shows _________.

A．the price of water has increased

B．she thinks her son is selfish

C．her son is an economic burden

D．she wants to have a shower herself

【小題2】What is the boomerang mentioned in the passage?

A．A person earning low income.

B．A person who has heavy tax burden.

C．A youth who cannot get parental support.

D．A youth returning to parents after graduation.

【小題3】According to the passage, which of the following does NOT contribute to the tax bill of most young graduates?

A．National insurance.	B．Income tax.
C．Council income.	D．Student loans.

【小題4】Who is comparatively most affected by the recession according to the passage?

A．Those who haven’t completed their university studies.

B．Those who are supported through by their parents.

C．Those who can have access to the urban facilities.

D．Those who were born into the well-off families.

【小題5】Which is the best title of the passage?

A．Global Recession

B．Boomerang Kids

C．Unemployment Rate

D．Falling Incomes

Friendship is one of the basic bonds (紐帶) between human beings. While the characteristics of friendship might vary from one country to another, people from all cultures not only enjoy friends but need them.
　　Many studies have shown that teenagers who have no friends often suffer from psychological disorders. It has been shown that teenagers, perhaps more than any other age group, need companionship and a sense of belonging. The negative consequences of loneliness have also been observed among the elderly. The death of a spouse often leaves a widow or a widower totally bereft (失去). If, however, they are surrounded by friends and relatives and if they are able to articulate（清楚表達） their feelings, they are more likely to recover from their grief.
　　“No man is an island.” In other words, we are all parts of society. We all need the love, admiration, respect and moral support of other people. If we are fortunate, our friends will provide us with all of these necessary aspects of life.
　　As most people observe, there are many levels of friendship. The degree or intensity of friendship varies depending on the personality of the individuals involved and the context of the relationships. Extroverts (性格外向者) enjoy being surrounded by many people whereas introverts（性格內(nèi)向者）are perhaps content with fewer but more intense friendships.
　　Everyone is not equally open with all their friends. The degree of intimacy (密切) is determined by many factors. Close friends can be formed at any stage in one’s life but they are usually very rare. Not very many people have more than a few really close friends. Irrespective of the level of intimacy, all friendships are based on reciprocity（相互性）, honesty and a certain amount of love and affection.
【小題1】The second paragraph implies that _____..

A．teenagers without friends will suffer from psychological problems

B．a(chǎn) widow or a widower will die very soon without companionship

C．human beings need companionship and a sense of belonging

D．both A and B

【小題2】The degree of intimacy of friendship mainly depends on _____ .

A．a(chǎn)ge

B．belonging

C．personality

D．culture

【小題3】The author thinks that close friends _____ .

A．can be easily formed when one is young

B．cannot be long-lasting

C．a(chǎn)re not rare for everyone

D．a(chǎn)re rare for most people

【小題4】The word “irrespective”(Last sentence, Para. 5) means _____ .

A．not respecting

B．dishonoring

C．regardless

D．Considering

It was graduation day at the university where I work and a beautiful day quite unlike the first graduation I attended as a young professor．On that cold day years ago, as we watched the students walking into the hall, one of my colleagues turned to me and said, "Graduation will be one of the happiest and one of the saddest time of your life．" At my inquiry, he answered, "Because the students you have gotten to know have to leave．"
As years went by, my previous confusion about my colleague's words no longer existed．When I came across naughty students, I have had to rethink why I chose to be a teacher．It obviously isn't the money．Once a former computer science student of mine called me, asking me if I wanted to have a change．He was working at Nintendo Corporation．His salary was higher than my current one, though I have more education and have worked for over a decade．With my programming skills, he said he could get me hired．I thanked him, but declined his kind offer．
A few days before this current graduation, while working on final grades, I found a note a student had slipped in with her homework．She thanked me for being her teacher and said the things she had learned in my class—not about math, but about life—would be things she would remember long after the math skills had faded away．As I finished reading, I remembered why I had become a teacher．
Now, on this sunny graduation day, as I again observed the sea of blue hats and gowns, I did so with renewed dedication （奉獻） and a deeper sense of satisfaction—I will always be grateful that I am a teacher．
【小題1】Hearing his colleague's description of graduation for the first time, the author __________．

A．quite agreed with his colleague

B．was very puzzled

C．thought it very funny

D．was very sad

【小題2】The computer science student called up the author because he___________．

A．wanted to inform the author of his present job

B．tried to persuade the author to work with him

C．wanted the author to share his joy and satisfaction

D．thought the author wasn't fit to be a teacher

【小題3】The underlined part “blue hats and gowns” refers to___________．

A．university colleagues	B．graduates' clothes
C．life memories	D．decorations in the hall

【小題4】The author wrote this passage to __________．

A．express his devotion to being a teacher

B．compare two different graduation ceremonies

C．talk about the meaning of graduation

D．give advice on how to be a good teacher

“Yes, I’ll be ready at nine in the morning. Goodbye, dear, and thanks again.” It had not been an easy telephone call for Mrs. Robson to make. Her daughter had been very kind, of course, and had immediately agreed to pick her up and drive her to the station, but Mrs. Robson hated to admit that she needed help. Since her husband had died ten years before, she had always been proud of her independence. She had continued to live in their little house, alone.
On this evening, however, she was standing at her living-room window, staring out at the SOLD notice in the small front garden. Her feelings were mixed. Of course, she was sad at the thought of leaving the house, as it was full of so many memories. But at the same time she was looking forward to spending her last years near the sea, back in the little seaside town where she had been born. With the money from the sale of the house, she had bought a little apartment there. She turned from the living room window, and looked round at the walls. There was a small fish tank, with two goldfish in it. When asked why, her husband used to say, “It’s nice to have something alive in the room.” Since he had passed away, she had always kept some goldfish, had always had “something alive in the room.”
The next morning, as her train was pulling out of the station, Mrs. Robson called to her daughter, “Kate, you won’t forget to collect the goldfish, will you? The children will love them. It’s …” “I know,” Kate interrupted gently, “It’s nice to have something alive in the room.” 
【小題1】According to the passage, we know that Mrs. Robson _________.

A．was tired of living alone

B．was not liked by her daughter

C．did not like asking people for help

D．did not want to be visited by her daughter

【小題2】Mrs. Robson was going to _______.

A．be in hospital	B．live with her daughter
C．travel abroad alone	D．live where she was born

【小題3】The feelings of Mrs. Robson on her last night in the house were________.

A．sad and hopeful	B．regretful and excited
C．sad and regretful	D．excited and hopeful

“Everything happens for the best,” my mother said whenever I was disappointed. “Don’t worry. One day your luck will change.”
I didn’t pay attention to her words. After finishing my college education, I decided to look for a job in a radio station. I wanted to host a sports programme. I went to Chicago and knocked on the door of every station. But I got turned down every time.
In one station, a kind lady said to me that I hadn’t got enough experience. “Get to a small station and work for some time,” she said.
When I went back home, my dad told me that a businessman had opened a store and needed someone to help him. But again, I didn’t get the job.
I felt really down. “Your luck will change,” Mum said to me. Later, I tried another radio station in Iowa. But the owner, a nice man, told me he had already had someone to work for him. As I left his office, I asked, “How can someone be a sports announcer (播音員) if he can’t get a job in a radio station?”
I was waiting for the lift when I heard the man call, “What did you mean? Do you know anything about football?” He let me sit in front of a microphone and asked me to try to imagine that I was giving my opinion on a football game, and finally I succeeded.
On my way home, Mum’s words came back to me, “One day your luck will change, Son.”
【小題1】What was the writer’s ideal（理想的） job?

A．A sportsman.	B．A shop assistant.
C．A sports announcer.	D．A businessman.

【小題2】Why didn’t the writer get the job in Chicago? 

A．Because he was too young.

B．Because he didn’t get a college education.

C．Because he was not a good-looking person.

D．Because he hadn’t got enough experience.

【小題3】The sentence “I got turned down every time” means “　　　”.

A．I was refused every time	B．I was successful every time
C．I lost my way every time	D．The door of every station was closed

【小題4】The writer got a job 　　　 in the end.

A．in Chicago	B．in his home town
C．in a college	D．in Iowa

A woman was in a hurry to go to the airport. She told the cab driver to drive quickly. She was so absorbed in her own thoughts that she was not aware they were going by a different route.
Suddenly, a man got inside the cab. He took her handbag where she had placed her visa, passport, and all her money for the trip.
The driver, who was in cahoots with the robber, left her in the middle of that dark street. She cursed the world for being so mean to her, and thought how unlucky she was in that situation.
That very same night, she heard some shocking news．Tears flowed down her face．Flight 230,which was the plane that she was supposed to have boarded, had crashed．If she had not lost her precious belongings, she could have lost something far more important—her life．
Sometimes bad things really happen．We lose money, fail our exams, or are rejected by others．There are times when nothing seems to go our way．
So what should we do about it? Should we be disappointed? The answer is a resounding “No!" We must get rid of all these frustrations and start all over again in the consistent faith that we will get what we deserve．
Don't waste your time and energy on things that can't be changed．Continuous worrying will only affect your health and you'll be doing much more damage than what was previously done．
What if it was the other way round? What if we never ran out of good luck?
There was a man who won the lottery．He thought he was the luckiest person in the world．He became greedy and wasted all his money on everything he could get his hands on．
One day, he made it to the front page of the newspaper again．But this time, it was a different story．He had been killed because of his riches．
If you attain good luck, you can never be too secure about it．Hope for protection and guidance．Life is so unpredictable．You never know what will happen next．
Live one day at a time．we sometimes subject ourselves to unnecessary emotional trouble．We ask ourselves: "What if I don't get this done in time?" or "What if my family leaves me and I've got no one else to turn to?"
Live for the moment．Do what must be done for the present and the future will turn out just fine． Believe me．And believe in yourself．As Captain Planet always says: "The power is yours!"
【小題1】The underlined phrase "in cahoots with" in Paragraph 3 probably means "____"．

A．was forced by	B．was fighting bravely with
C．had cooperated with	D．was trying to beg

【小題2】From the passage, we learn that___．

A．the woman was lucky to miss her flight

B．some people just never run out of good luck

C．robbers will get what they deserve

D．if you feel yourself lucky, you will continue to be so

【小題3】According to the author, which of the following is the right attitude to adopt towards life?

A．Don't waste your time and energy because time is limited．

B．There's no need to worry or get frustrated．Just believe in yourself．

C．Even when everything seems to be going well, we should keep fully alert．

D．Worrying about what you don't have means you miss out on opportunities for other things．

【小題4】The stories are intended to tell us___．

A．fortune only favors the prepared mind

B．gains and losses go hand in hand

C．misfortune might be a blessing

D．we should save up for a rainy day

Bobby was sitting out in his back yard in the snow. The thin sneakers he wore had a few holes in them. Try as he might, he could not come up with an idea for his mother’s Christmas gift.
Ever since his father had passed away three years ago, his mother worked nights at the hospital, but the small wage could only be stretched so far.
What the family lacked in money and material things, they more than made up for in love and family unity. They ran the household in their mother’s absence. All three of his sisters had already made beautiful gifts for their mother.
It was Christmas Eve already, and he had nothing. Bobby started to walk down to the street. He walked from shop to shop. Everything seemed so beautiful and so out of reach. It was starting to get dark, then suddenly his eyes caught a shiny dime. Never has anyone felt so wealthy as Bobby did at that moment.
He went inside a flower shop. When the owner asked if he could help him, Bobby presented the dime and asked if he could buy one flower. The shop owner looked at Bobby, then said, “You just wait here and I’ll see what I can do for you.”
The shop owner returned holding red roses all tied together with a big silver bow. Bobby’s heart sank as the owner placed them gently into a long white box. “That will be ten cents, young man,” said the shop owner, reaching out his hand for the dime. Slowly, Bobby moved his hand to give the man his dime.
Then the shopkeeper’s wife appeared. “Where are the roses you were fixing?”
The shop owner replied, “A strange thing happened to me this morning. I thought I heard a voice telling me to set aside a dozen of my best roses for a special gift. I wasn’t sure at the time whether I had lost my mind or what, but I set them aside anyway. When I saw that little boy tonight, I knew who that voice was.”
【小題1】According to the first three paragraphs we know that _____.

A．Bobby’s sisters didn’t help Bobby to buy a gift

B．Bobby had known what gift he’d give to his mother

C．the children in the family all loved their mother

D．Bobby’s family was rich before his father died

【小題2】Why did Bobby walk along the street?

A．Because he didn’t know what to do.

B．Because he wanted to try his luck there.

C．Because he wanted to get some money.

D．Because he hoped to see what he could get.

【小題3】What could he buy with a dime then?

A．A flower.

B．Nothing.

C．A piece of cake.

D．Many flowers.

【小題4】Bobby slowly gave the dime to the shop owner because _______.

A．he did not want any rose flowers

B．the flowers weren’t worth a dime

C．the shop owner would cheat him

D．he hardly believed what had happened

【小題5】From the last two paragraphs we can infer that the shop owner ______.

A．was shocked by the voice he heard

B．was always ready to help others

C．didn’t know how to run a business

D．was good at making up stories