When you want to go shopping, decide how much money you can spend on new clothes．Think about the kind of clothes you really need．Then look for those clothes you really need．Then look for those clothes on sale．
There are labels(標(biāo)簽) inside all new clothes．The labels tell you how to take care of your clothes．The label for a shirt may tell you to wash it in warm water．A sweater label may tell you to wash in cold water．The label on a coat may say “dry clean only”, for washing may ruin this coat．If you do as the directions (說明)on the label, you can keep your clothes looking their best for a long time．
Many clothes today must be dry cleaned．Dry cleaning is expensive．When buying new clothes, check to see if they will need to be dry cleaned．You will save money if you buy clothes that can be washed．
You can save money if you buy clothes that are well made． Well-made clothes last longer．They look good even after they have been washed many times．Clothes that cost more money are not necessarily better made．They do not always fit better．Sometimes less expensive clothes look and fit better than more expensive clothes．
【小題1】If you want to save money, you had better buy clothes that __．

A．don’t fit you	B．don’t last long
C．need to be dry cleaned	D．can be washed

【小題2】The labels inside the clothes tell you______．

A．whether they fit you or not

B．how to save money

C．where to get them dry cleaned

D．how to keep them looking their best

【小題3】The first thing for you to do before you buy clothes is __.

A．to look for well-made clothes

B．to see how much money you can pay

C．to know how to wash them

D．to read the labels inside them

【小題4】We learn from the passage that cheaper clothes __.

A．can sometimes fit you better	B．must be dry cleaned
C．a(chǎn)re always worse made	D．can not be washed

The day was warm and the sun shone down like a new beginning on my life. I was waving goodbye to my son, the last one of my fledglings （剛會飛的鳥）to leave home and go to new woods, "University actually" . I felt so lighthearted after spending many years looking after my four children—cooking, washing, ironing, teaching them how to look after themselves and manage their finances—that I actually thought “At long last, freedom".
But, as I watched my last one leave, although it was a joyous occasion, I realized I had not really prepared for this day, I was too tied up with bringing up these adults of the future to realize that they would all leave the nest and lives independently.
At first I didn't know what "I" wanted to do. I tried a part time job, which ended in me running out in tears. I started a business making soft furnishings, but that didn't work either.  I grew my own veggies and fruit, which lasted 3 years, until I was advised by my doctor that my feet couldn't take any more "tools” driven through them.
I began wondering if I had a future of my own. I cried for the life I was used to, and hadn't known or wanted anything different.
Then one day I saw an ad. for foster parents, I discussed it with my husband who was always behind everything I tried and with great disturbance , I rang up the number.
I now laugh and sing with my 14-year-old foster daughter, even when my cooker is a mess and my bathroom is a disaster area. I now know, 8 years later, what “I” was meant to be doing with all the spare hours, days, and weeks I had on my hands when my last fledgling flew the nest. The sun shines once again in my home.
【小題1】How did the mother first feel when her last child went off to university?

A．Lonely.

B．Anxious.

C．Relieved.

D．Annoyed.

【小題2】The underlined phrase “was tied up with” in the second paragraph means “        ”.

A．was occupied in	B．was associated with
C．was tired of	D．was addicted to

【小題3】In the third paragraph, the poor mother did all the things just to         .

A．live a greener and healthier life

B．earn more money for her kids’ education

C．shift her attention and ease her anxiety

D．start her own decorating business

【小題4】What did the empty-nested mother think of her husband?

A．Skilled

B．Supportive

C．Stubborn

D．Open-minded

【小題5】Thanks to the foster daughter, the author         .

A．got rid of her busy work

B．forgot her other children

C．found a suitable job

D．knew what she really wanted

Shane Thomas is a 10-year-old pianist from England. He’s being called the next Mozart because of his amazing abilities.
He has only been having piano lessons for four months, and practices four hours a week, but he has already played difficult classical pieces. He was just seven when he sat down at the piano, and could play at once. He also says he never gets nervous.
When Shane was three years old, he said that he could play the piano, but nobody took him seriously. At school, he could listen to the teacher and do his work while composing (作曲) in his head. Shame remembers all the melodies（旋律）,and when he gets home he plays them on the piano, while his father records them. Shane loves playing the piano, and when he grows up he wants to be a composer.
His tutor, Richard Goffin-Lecar, says he is like Amadeus Mozart, who lived during the 18^th century in Salzburg, Austria, and was one of the most famous composers ever. Mr. Goffin-lecar says, “I don’t teach Shane very much. I just give him directions, then sit back and watch.”
His father, a single parent with two other children, says that although he has little money, he wants to send Shane to a good music school. “I’m a single father, but I have this gifted child. I don’t have much money, but I want to give him the best teachers, and also take him into a studio to record.”
【小題1】When did Shane tell others that he could play the piano?

A．At age three.

B．At age ten.

C．At age seven.

D．At age four.

【小題2】Which of the following is TRUE about Shane?

A．He feels nervous while playing the piano

B．He can compose in his head while doing his work.

C．He wants to be a piano tutor when he grows up.

D．He doesn’t like to listen to the teacher at school.

【小題3】What do we learn about Shane’s father?

A．He also plays the piano well.

B．He’s a single father with two children.

C．He believes in Shane’s talent for music and will support him.

D．Not having enough money, he will ask the teachers for help

What makes a gift special? Is it the price you see on the gift receipt? Or is it the look on the recipient's face when they receive it that determines the true value? What gift is worth the most?
This Christmas I was debating what to give my father. My dad is a hard person to buy for because he never wants anything. I pulled out my phone to read a text message from my mom saying that we were leaving for Christmas shopping for him when I came across a message on my phone that I had locked. The message was from my father. My eyes fell on a photo of a flower taken in Wyoming. and underneath a poem by William Blake. The flower, a lonely dandelion（蒲公英） standing against the bright blue sky, inspired me. My dad had been reciting those words to me since I was a kid. That may even be the reason why I love writing. I decided that those words would be my gift to my father.
I called back. I told my mom to go without me and that I already created my gift. I sent the photo of the cream-colored flower to my computer and typed the poem on top of it. As I was arranging the details another poem came to mind. The poem was written by Edgar Allan Poe; my dad recited it as much as he did the other. I typed that out as well and searched online for a background to the words of it. The poem was focused around dreaming, and after searching I found the perfect picture. The image was painted with blues and greens and purples, twisting together to create the theme and wonder of a dream. As I watched both poems passing through the printer, the white paper coloring with words that shaped my childhood. I felt that this was a gift that my father would truly appreciate.
Christmas soon arrived. The minute I saw the look on my dad's face as he unwrapped those swirling black letters carefully placed in a cheap frame, I knew I had given the perfect gift.
【小題1】The idea for a special gift began to form when the author was____________.

A．doing shopping	B．having a debate
C．reading a message	D．leaving for Wyoming

【小題2】The author's inspiration for the gift came from____________.

A．a(chǎn) photo of a flower	B．a(chǎn) story about a kid
C．a(chǎn) call from the mother	D．a(chǎn) text about Christmas

【小題3】The author made the gift by_____.

A．searching for the poems online	B．drawing the background by hand
C．painting the letters in three colors	D．matching the words with pictures

【小題4】What is the main purpose of the passage?

A．To show how to design images for gifts.

B．To suggest making gifts from one's heart.

C．To explain how computers help create gifts.

D．To describe the gifts the author has received

Dear Cary,
I'm writing because I've understood you've struggled with alcoholism （酗酒）．I've been fighting mine ever since I went through 9-11．After that, I've been more or less useless professionally - I'm a lawyer - and have had to resien（辭職） from my job because I was discovered passed - out drunk in front of my computer．I've taken some medicine and it has helped somewhat．I can manage about a month without drinking, but after that I end up having a crazy stage where nothing matters except drinking．After a week or so of heavy drinking,! start having nightmares of people jumping．After that, it's a week of not being able to get out of bed．
I was supposed to travel to a conference but didn't make it because I got so drunk at the airport that I fell down on my face and spent the rest of the day in the emergency room．I have been hiding from my family since then．Fortunately they won't be expecting me to come back for a week or so．Otherwise, they would notice the bump on my forehead and two black eyes．
I don't really know what I'm asking you．Cary, I need a way out that doesn't involve causing pain to my family．I'm taking medicine, but' I still have these attacks every few months．If there's alcohol in the house, I can't stay away from it．It seems that this will never end．I'm afraid of what will happen if something bad happens, like a family member dying, or getting fired again．
Thanks for reading．
Yours T
【小題1】The underlined sentence shows us all the following EXCEPT _____．

A．the reason why the author had to resign

B．that the author was once discovered drunk as a fish

C．that the author is a lawyer by profession

D．that the author is a lawyer and he never gets drunk

【小題2】The author writes to Cary in order to _____．

A．a(chǎn)sk for money

B．a(chǎn)sk for help

C．offer advice

D．tell a story

【小題3】What is the author worried about?

A． Losing his job	B．Giving up drinking
C． Bring pain to his family	D．Missing the conference

【小題4】We know from the passage that Cary _____．

A．is probably a recovered alcoholic

B．never suffered from alcoholism

C．likes to talk about the details of his life

D．is a doctor on treating alcoholism

A nurse took the tired, anxious serviceman to the bedside. “Your son is here,”she said to the old man. She had to repeat the words several times before the patient’s eyes opened.
Heavily drugged with sleep because of the pain of his heart attack, he dimly(隱約) saw the young uniformed Marine standing outside the oxygen tent. He reached out with his hand. The Marine wrapped his toughened fingers around the old man’s weak ones, expressing a message of love and encouragement. The nurse brought a chair so that the Marine could sit beside the bed.
All through the night the young Marine sat there in the poorly lighted ward(病房), holding the old man’s hand and offering him words of love and strength. Occasionally, the nurse suggested that the Marine move away and rest a while. He refused. Now and then she heard him say a few gentle words. The dying man said nothing, only holding tightly to his son all through the night. Along towards dawn, the old man died.
The Marine released the now lifeless hand he had been holding and went to tell the nurse. While she did what she had to do, he waited.
Finally, she returned. She started to offer words of sympathy, but the Marine interrupted her.“Who was that man?”he asked. The nurse was surprised. “He was your father,”she answered. “No, he wasn’t,”the Marine replied. “I never saw him before in my life.”“Then why didn’t you say something when I took you to him?”asked the nurse. “I knew right away there had been a mistake, but I also knew he needed his son, and his son just wasn’t here. When I realized that he was too sick to tell whether or not I was his son, knowing how much he needed me, I stayed.”he answered.
【小題1】Why did the nurse take the Marine to the old man’s bed?

A．Because he was the old man’s son.

B．Because she knew that he was a warm-hearted man.

C．Because she couldn’t find anyone else there.

D．Because she thought he was the old man’s son.

【小題2】Why did the old man hold the Marine’s hand all through the night?

A．Because he knew he would die the next day.

B．Because he hadn’t seen his son for a long time.

C．Because he was dying and mistook him for his son.

D．Because he enjoyed doing that and so did the Marine.

【小題3】Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

A．The Marine didn’t know the old man at all.

B．The nurse was careless and made a mistake.

C．The Marine happened to be the old man’s son’s friend.

D．The old man passed away peacefully and contentedly.

【小題4】What can we learn from the passage?

A．The next time someone needs you, be there.

B．All the soldiers are as kind as the Marine.

C．We’d better not correct someone else’s mistakes.

D．The young should accompany their parents all the time.

Heading off to college this year? Here are some fashion tips from our experts you should keep in mind：
Dress to impress．Stylist and business consultant Daniela Smith says，“Girls should keep in mind that your college professors will often be the bridge that connects you to your future career and your classmates will become your professional network，You don't need to dress like you're going to the office, but you．should display all ability to properly present yourself with appropriate maturity and confidence，and look put together．”
Logo mania(品牌狂熱癥)．Wearing the loges of brands aimed at younger customers physically identifies you as part of that age group，so consider the targeted age group of the stores you shop at．It's tempting to load up on loges，especially well-known loges that signify high-end brands．But consider this：college is a time of self-discovery, a chance to develop your own personal style．Instead of wearing loges head to toe，“walking advertisement”-style，why not express who you really are?
Wear real pants! The combination of leggings and baggy shirts is all too common on college campuses．Smith points out that leggings，yoga pants，and Sweatpants ale entirely unacceptable in public unless you're exercising．Although leggings worn as pants are a common trend among high school and college girls，they are not an appropriate choice for daywear；As a young woman, your style choice should begin to reflect your maturity level．So，get rid of leggings and wear real pants!
Keep the cute factor to a minimum．Stay away from sweaters and T-shirts with smiling animals, cartoon characters，or Hello Kitty on them．Sure，kittens might be cute，but they're not doing you any favors in the style department．Dressing too cutesy can take years off your look，and not necessarily in a good way!
【小題1】The second paragraph indicates the importance of       .

A．impressing professors

B．getting on well with classmates

C．creating a professional image

D．dressing appropriately

【小題2】The author believes that college girls should       ．

A．choose a 1ogo that suits their age

B．try to load up on well-known logos

C．use logos to show who they are

D．find their identity by trying different logos

【小題3】The author recommends wearing real pants because       ．

A．leggings and baggy shirts are too common

B．yoga pants and sweatpants are not as comfortable

C．real pants can present you with appropriate maturity

D．people like real pants better man the other pants

【小題4】What's the writer's attitude towards sweaters with animals on them?

A．They make people look lovely．

B．They are very fashionable these days．

C．They will show you're an animal lover．

D．They are not suitable for college-aged students．

【小題5】In which magazine would you most likely find this passage?

A．Business Week

B．Parents

C．In style．

D．Travel ＆ Leisure．

When I was about 12, I had an enemy, a girl who liked to point out my shortcomings(缺點(diǎn)). Sometimes she said I was thin. Sometimes she said I was lazy. Sometimes she said I wasn’t a good student. Sometimes she said I talked too much, and so on. I tried to put up with(忍受) her as long as I could. At last, I became very angry. I ran to my father with tears in my eyes.
He listened to me quietly, and then he asked, “Are the things she said true or not? Mary, didn’t you ever wonder what you’re really like? Go and make a list of everything she said and mark the points that are true. Pay no attention to the other things she said.”
I did as he told me and to my surprise, I discovered that about half the things were true.
I brought the list back to my dad. He refused to take it. “That’s just for you,” he said. “You know better than anyone else the truth about yourself. When something said about you is true, you’ll find it will be helpful to you. Don’t shut your ears. Listen to them all, but hear the truth and do what you think is right.”
Many years have passed. The situation often appears in my mind. In our life we often meet with some trouble and we often go to someone and ask for advice. For some advice you will treasure(珍惜) all your life!
【小題1】What did the writer’s father do after he heard her complaints(抱怨)?

A．He agreed with her “enemy”.

B．he let her continue to put up with her “enemy”.

C．He told her to write down all her “enemy” had said about her.

D．He told her not to pay attention to what her “enemy” had said.

【小題2】The writer felt ______ when she did the things as her father had told her.

A．surprised

B．a(chǎn)ngry

C．disappointed

D．sad

【小題3】Which of the following can we know from the passage?

A．The “enemy” thought the writer was pretty.

B．The “enemy” thought the writer studied hard.

C．The writer and her “enemy” became best friends at last.

D．The writer is grateful to her father.

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

A．My Parents

B．A Serious Criticism(批評)

C．What People Say About You Is Always Right

D．The Best Advice I Ever Had

A few months ago as I wandered through my parents’ house, the same house I grew up in, I had a sudden, scary realization. When my parents bought the house, in 1982, they were only two years older than I am now. I tried to imagine myself in two years, ready to settle down and buy the house I’d still be living in almost 30 years later.
It seemed ridiculous. On a practical level, there’s no way I could afford to buy a house anytime soon. More importantly, I wouldn’t want to. I’m not sure where I’ll be living in two years, or what kind of job I’ll have. And I don’t think I’ll be ready to settle down and stay in one place.
So this is probably the generation gap that divides my friends and me from our parents. When our parents were our age, they’d gotten their education, chosen a career, and were starting to settle into responsible adult lives.
My friends and I – “Generation Y” – still aren’t sure what we want to do with our lives. Whatever we end up doing, we want to make sure we’re happy doing it. We’d rather take risks first, try out different jobs, and move from one city to another until we find our favorite place. We’d rather spend our money on travel than put it in a savings account.
This casual attitude toward responsibility has caused some critics to call my generation “arrogant”, “impatient”, and “overprotected”. Some of these complaints have a point. As children we were encouraged to succeed in school, but also to have fun. We grew up in a world full of technological innovation: cellphones, the Internet, instant messaging, and video games.
Our parents looked to rise vertically(垂直的)--starting at the bottom of the ladder and slowly making their way to the top, on the same track, often for the same company. That doesn’t apply to my generation.
Because of that, it may take us longer than our parents to arrive at responsible, stable adulthood. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. In our desire to find satisfaction, we will work harder, strive for ways to keep life interesting, and gain a broader set of experiences and knowledge than our parents’ generation did.
【小題1】When the author walked through her parents’ house, she _______.

A．was frightened that she had no idea what she wanted from life

B．started to think about her own life

C．realized I should buy a house.

D．wondered why her parents had settled down early

【小題2】What is the main “generation gap” between the author and her friends and their                      parents according to the article?

A．Their attitude toward high technology.

B．Their ways of making their way to the top.

C．Their attitude towards responsibility.

D．Their ways of gaining experience.

【小題3】Which of the following might the author agree with?

A．It’s all right to try more before settling down.

B．It’s better to take adult responsibility earlier.

C．It involves too much effort to rise vertically.

D．It’s ridiculous to call her generation “arrogant”.

【小題4】What can we conclude from the article?

A．The author is envious of her parents enjoying a big house at her age.

B．Growing up in a hi-tech world makes “Generation Y” feel insecure about relationships.

C．“Generation Y” people don’t want to grow up and love to be taken care of by their parents.

D．The author wrote this article so that others would be able to understand her generation better.

【小題5】What is the main theme of the article?

A．The sudden realization of growing up.

B．A comparison between lifestyles of generations.

C．Criticisms of the young generation.

D．The factors that have changed the young generation.

Tomorrow evening I will be interviewed on stage by a museum official. I will be an interpreter, talking from experience as a disability rights lawyer and activist.
In “special” schools and camps for children with physical and mental disabilities, I grew up knowing we were a category of person that the world did not want. Most of us had a story of some doctor advising our parents to put up away or to let us die. We owed our survival to parents who had irrationally(不理性地) bonded with us. We knew we were lucky and hoped our luck would hold. To increase the chance of surviving, we tended to be charming. We developed thick skins.
By the time I roll onto the stage the next night, I’ve thought a lot about there and here, then and now. When the first question comes, I tell them about my fascination with the wheelchair, and somehow it sounds funny, and laughter fills the room. We talk from the horror of Nazis killing (Nazis once killed the disabled patients as useless) to a funny confession that I, too, tend to stare at disabled people on the street.
What has come over me? In this room, people with disabilities in thrilling variety make me feel at home. Here people, disabled and not, are gathered by choice.
I haven’t forgotten that 2 million people remain in US disability institutions, that some disabled children still cannot attend mainstream schools, that too many of us live in poverty. But I can’t hold onto anger and sorrow for I feel a shared sense of possibility, a drive for a world that will embrace both the fit and the unfit and hold them so dear that the division dies.
【小題1】What’s the author according to the passage?

A．A disabled lawyer.	B．A reporter.
C．An actor	D．An interviewer

【小題2】The underlined phrase “thick skins” in the second paragraph probably means__.

A．with more clothes

B．making skin dirty

C．caring nothing of ignorance

D．growing more slowly than others

【小題3】The second paragraph is mainly focused on ________.

A．the growth of the disabled people

B．the hatred of the disabled people

C．the love of the disabled people

D．the appreciation of the disabled people

【小題4】It can be sensed but not clearly stated that the author________.

A．likes to be interviewed in a museum

B．can tell funny stories

C．has charming personality

D．is humorous and optimistic

【小題5】What’s the author’s attitude towards the future?

A．Desperate

B．Hopeful

C．Negative

D．Objective