To me, life without music would not be exciting. I realize that this is not true for everybody. Many people get along quite well without going to the concert, and listening to the record. But music plays an important part in everyone's life, whether he realizes it or not. Try to imagine, for example, what films or TV plays would be like without music. Would the feelings, the moving plot, and the greatest interests, be so exciting or dramatic? I'm not sure about it.
Now, we have been speaking of music in its more common meaning—the kind of music we hear in the concert hall. But if we look at some parts of music more closely, we discover them in our everyday life too—in the rhythm of the sea, the melody of a bird in the woods and so on. So music surely has meaning for everyone, in some way or other. And, of course, it has special meaning for those who have spent all their lives working on playing or writing music.
It is well said, “Through music a child enters into a world of beauty, expresses himself from his heart, feels the joy of doing things alone, learns to take care of others, develops his mind and makes his body strong.”
【小題1】What dose the writer say more about in the text?

A．Life full of music.

B．Life without music.

C．The importance of music.

D．The development of music.

【小題2】What does the underlined word “melody” mean in the text?

A．flying	B．looking
C．singing	D．living

【小題3】From the last paragraph, we learn that music________.

A．is very important, especially for children

B．is very necessary for our everyday life

C．can make our life exciting and dramatic

D．can enter into another beautiful world

Is there anything more important than health? I don’t think so. “Health is the greatest wealth.” wise people say. You can’t be good at your studies or work well when you are ill.If you have a headache, toothache, backache, earache or bad pain in the stomach, if you complain of a bad cough, if you run a high temperature and have a bad cold, or if you suffer from high or low blood pressure, I think you should go to the doctor.                       The doctor will examine your throat, feel your pulse, test your blood pressure, take your temperature, sound your heart and lungs, test your eyes, check your teeth or have your chest X-rayed. After that he will advise some treatment, or some medicine. The only thing you have to do is to follow his advice.Speaking about doctor’s advice, I can’t help telling you a funny story. An old gentleman came to see the doctor. The man was very ill. He told the doctor about his weakness, memory loss and serious problems with his heart and lungs. The doctor examined him and said there was no medicine for his 
disease. He told his patient to go to a quiet place for a month and have a good
rest. He also advised him to eat a lot of meat, drink two glasses of red wine every day and take long walks. In other words, the doctor advised him to 
follow the rule: “Eat at pleasure, drink with measure and enjoy life as it is.” The doctor also said that if the man wanted to be well again, he shouldn’t smoke more than one cigarette a day.A month later the gentleman came into the doctor’s office. He looked cheerful and happy. He thanked the doctor 
and said that he had never felt a healthier man.“ But you know, doctor,” he said, “it’s not easy to begin smoking at my age.”
【小題1】The writer thinks that_____. 

A．healthismoreimportantthanwealth

B．workisasimportantasstudies

C．medicineismoreimportantthanpleasure

D．nothingismoreimportantthanmoney

【小題2】The doctor usually tells his patient what to do______. 

A．withoutexaminingthepatient

B．a(chǎn)fterhehasexaminedthepatient

C．ifthepatientdoesn’ttakemedicine

D．unlessthepatientfeelspain

【小題3】From the last sentence of the passage, we learn the man_______ before the doctor told himnot to smoke more than one cigarette a day. 

A．wasaheavysmoker	B．didn’tsmokesomuch
C．didn’tsmoke	D．begantolearntosmoke

【小題4】Which of the following is NOT true? 

A．Thedoctorusuallytestshis/herbloodpressurewhenapersonisill.

B．Themantoldthedoctorhecouldn’trememberthings.

C．Themanthankedthedoctor.

D．Themandidn’tfollowthedoctor’sadvice.

Dear Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul,
Most people don’t really know what pressures a typical teenager has to go through. Sure, our parents and grandparents were once teens, but things are so different now. It has never been to tougher (嚴(yán)格)to a teenager.
It had never been more important to be in the “right group” or to have the “right brand” of shoes. And those are the easy things to deal with. We also face problems with family, friends, relationships and school pressures.
When it gets to be too much, I turn to my friends. One friend I could not live without is Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul. Your books have been so inspiring to me and have helped me to deal with and understand the problems I go through.
For example, I went through a confusing time with my friends when we got to junior high. I had known these friends since kindergarten, and when we began junior high it seemed like some of them began to change. We started hanging out with different groups, and we slowly grew so far apart that it seemed as if we had never been friends. I felt confused and hurt.
Sometime during this period I read the story Friends Forever in Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul Ⅱ.I felt so much better after reading it. It was like a weight had been lifted from me when I realized that many friendships went through changes and that we weren’t the only friends to experience them.
People change, but that doesn’t mean we have to lose the friendships we once shared. My friends and I still spend time together when we can and care about each other a lot. That things are different doesn’t mean I have to forget about all the good times we had. I will always keep the memories in a safe place in my heart.
Sincerely,
Peter
【小題1】According to the author, parents and grandparents

A．didn’t have to overcome difficulties when in their teens.

B．don’t fully understand the pressures of being a teenager now

C．can easily deal with things such as choosing friends and shoes.

D．don’t need to give help to teenagers with pressures and problems

【小題2】Why did the author feel confused and hurt when he got to junior high？

A．Because he was afraid that he had lost his friends.

B．Because he and his friends weren’t in the same school.

C．Because he was too busy to be with his friends.

D．Because his friends refused to hang out with him.

【小題3】What does the underlined word “them” in Para．5 refer to？

A．Friendships．

B．Changes．

C．Friends．

D．Pressures

【小題4】In the letter the author mainly tells us that

A．people change but friendships always last.

B．changes sometimes cause hurt and confusion

C．people will go through many changes in life

D．friendships should be kept with skills

I never thought I would have a life-changing experience at Wal-Mart.
Although my thoughts were only on speed, the checkout line I was standing in wasn’t moving as quickly as I wanted, and I glanced toward the cashier. There stood a man in his seventies, wearing glasses and a nice smile. I thought, well, he’s an old guy!
For the next few minutes I watched him. He greeted every customer before scanning the items. Sure, his words were the usual, “How’s it going?” But he did something different—he actually listened to people. Then he would respond to what they had said and engage them in brief conversation.
I thought it was odd (古怪的). I have grown accustomed to people asking me how I was doing simply out of robotic conversational habit. After a while, you don’t give any thought to the question and just say something back. I could say, “I just found out I have six months to live,” and someone would reply, “Have a great day!”
But that wasn’t the end. He gave them the change, walked around the counter, and extended his right hand in an act of friendship. He looked the customers in the eyes. “I sure want to thank you for shopping here today,” he told them. “You have a great day. Bye-bye.”
The looks on the faces of the customers were priceless. There were smiles and some sheepish grins (咧嘴一笑). All had been touched by his simple gesture—and in a place they never expected. They would gather their things and walk out, smiling.
Of course, he did the same to me and I got to know his name, Marty.
56. 【小題1】The checkout line the writer was standing in moved slower than expected because ________.

A．the cashier couldn’t work as fast as others

B．there were some big purchases

C．the cashier did more than scanning the items

D．the writer was not patient enough

57．【小題2】According to the writer, when common people ask you “How’s it going?”________.

A．they don’t really care what you may answer

B．they are just practicing their conversation ability

C．they are asking about your private information

D．they don’t expect to hear any negative answers

58．【小題3】What was most customers reaction on Marty’s behaviors?

A．They thought it priceless.	B．They were in some way moved.
C．They thought it awful and odd.	D．They felt somewhat annoyed..

59．【小題4】What does the writer intend to express through the text?

A．Our everyday life is always full of surprises.

B．Most customers enjoy being treated this way.

C．Being different is a good way of doing business.

D．A little positive action can make a big difference.

I remember the first time that I was extremely happy. I was about 8 years old when for the first time, there was a computer in the classroom. I remember that my teacher allowed each student to take turns playing various educational games on the computer. One day, I found the source code (密碼) for one of these games. Without knowing or being taught any programming language, I was able to figure out some portions of the BASIC code.
Anyone who knows a bit of programming can tell you that I just give myself an infinite (無窮大) number of lives in the game, so I can continue playing forever. This was also my first introduction to algebra (代數(shù)), and I didn’t even know it at the time. This was a decisive (決定性的) moment in my life. For the first time that I can remember, I was quite happy because of what I was learning and what I was able to do. As a result, I became enthusiastic for the rest of my life about self-learning and computers, and I was quite happy doing them, too.
I’ve noticed that people who are truly content with life are enthusiastic in what they do. This enthusiasm, along with good health, is the key to being happy. It also leads to self-confidence and fulfillment in life, too. It may also lead to success, wealth, and achievements.
Yes, success, wealth, or achievements seem to bring some people happiness, too. Yet, I don’t think they can indeed make people happy. I know plenty of people who are successful and wealthy. However, I also know several of the people with successful businesses are not happy with what they are doing. I know people who continuously buy themselves new toys, cars, computers, and televisions, yet they never seem content for too long.
Please remember that happiness comes from enthusiasm, and happiness is the journey of life, not the destination.
【小題1】What did the writer’s teacher ask the students to do on the computer?

A．To play various educational games.	B．To figure out the BASIC code.
C．To get the knowledge of algebra.	D．To read some latest news.

【小題2】The underlined word in Paragraph 1 probably can be replaced by ______.

A．danger

B．parts

C．health

D．value

【小題3】According to the author, what can lead a person to be happy?

A．Success and wealth

B．Education and self-confidence.

C．Knowledge and achievements

D．Enthusiasm and good health.

【小題4】The author uses his own experience of being happy in order to tell us ______.

A．it’s very easy to learn the BASIC code

B．he has always been happy since his childhood

C．concentrating on what you love makes you happy

D．one can solve any problem in life by himself

【小題5】What’s the main idea of the last but one paragraph?

A．Wealth cannot bring any people any happiness.

B．Rich people easily feel unhappy nowadays.

C．One will become unhappy once he gets what he wants.

D．Success, wealth, or achievements can’t indeed make people happy.

When it comes to success in business and success in life, there are few qualities as important as confidence．
People naturally have different levels of confidence. Some have a higher level of confidence than others do, but even those whose confidence is lacking can learn to build their level of confidence and reach their most important goals．Increasing self confidence is one of the most common reasons people give for seeking the help of psychologists and other professionals．
One of the many places where a greater level of confidence is useful is in the workplace. We all know how difficult it can be, for instance, to ask the boss for a raise. This process can be extremely difficult for those who lack confidence in their own abilities. After all, if you are unsure about your own abilities, how will you ever convince your boss that you deserve more money for the work you do?
Even if you are not asking for that big raise, having plenty of confidence in your abilities is important to success．If you are certain of your abilities, chances are that those around you, whether they are your coworkers, your colleagues or your superiors, will see that confidence, and that will help to assure them that you are the best at what you do．
Being thought of as the person to go to, and being seen as an expert in your chosen field, is naturally very important to success on the job．If you can make yourself the person people go to for guidance and advice, you will help to protect yourself from the ever present danger of downsizing(裁員)．After all, if you are a recognized expert at the office, you will be regarded as an indispensable member of the team．
Having a high level of confidence, after all, does not mean overlooking the places where you could improve．Knowing what you do well and where you need help will help you enjoy increased success and confidence．
【小題1】What is the passage mainly about?

A．The influence of confidence on one's life.

B．The difference of people's confidence.

C．The importance of confidence to success.

D．The judgment on one's confidence.

【小題2】Psychologists and other professionals can offer help to those ________.

A．who dream to be recognized experts

B．who expect to give guidance to others

C．who want to ask the boss for a raise

D．who think their goals are hard to reach

【小題3】What does the underlined word "indispensable" in Paragraph 5 probably mean?

A．outgoing

B．a(chǎn)ttractive

C．important

D．energetic

【小題4】What message does the author want to convey（傳遞） in the last paragraph?

A．To overlook one's disadvantages.

B．To make full use of one's advantages.

C．To have great confidence in one's abilities.

D．To make objective evaluations of one's abilities.

Very old people do raise moral problems for almost everyone who comes in contact with them. Their values—this can't be repeated too often—are not necessarily our values. Physical comfort, cleanness and order are not necessarily the most important things. The social services from time to time find themselves faced with a flat with decaying food covered by small worms (蠕蟲), and an old person lying alone in bed, taking no notice of the worms. But is it interfering (妨礙) with personal freedom to insist that they go to live with some of their relatives so that they might be taken better care of? Some social workers, the ones who clear up the worms, think we are in danger of carrying this concept of personal freedom to the point where serious risks are being taken with the health and safety of the old.
Indeed, the old can be easily hurt or harmed. The body is like a car, it needs more mechanical maintenance as it gets older. You can carry this comparison right through to the provision of spare parts. But never forget that such operations are painful experiences, however good the results. And at what point should you stop treating the old body? Is it morally right to try to push off death by pursuing the development of drugs to excite the forgetful old mind and to activate the old body, knowing that it is designed to die? You cannot ask doctors or scientists to decide, because so long as they can see the technical opportunities, they will feel bound to give them a try, on the principle that while there's life, there's hope.
When you talk to the old people, however, you are forced to the conclusion that whether age is happy or unpleasant depends less on money or on health than it does on your ability to have fun.
【小題1】It is implied in Paragraph 1 that______.

A．very old people enjoy living with their relatives

B．social services have nothing to do with very old people

C．very old people would like to live alone so that they can have more personal freedom.

D．very old people are able to keep their rooms very clean

【小題2】Some social workers think that______.

A．health and safety are more important than personal freedom

B．personal freedom is more important than health and safety

C．old people should keep their rooms clean

D．one should not take the risk of dealing with old people

【小題3】In the author's opinion, ______.

A．the human body can't be compared to a car

B．the older a person, the more care he needs

C．too much emphasis has been put on old people's values

D．it is easy to provide spare parts for old people

【小題4】The author thinks that______.

A．medical decisions for old people should be left to the doctors

B．old people can enjoy a happy life only if they are very rich

C．the opinion that we should try every means possible to save old people is doubtful

D．it is always morally right to treat old people and push off death

The Man was very sad. He knew that the Cat's days were numbered. The doctor had said there wasn’t anything more that could be done, and that he should take the Cat home and make him as comfortable as possible.
A tear rolled down the Man’s cheek and landed on the Cat’s forehead, The Cat gave him a slightly annoyed look. “Why do you cry, Man?” the Cat asked. “Because you can’t bear the thought of losing me? Because you think you can never replace me?” The Man nodded “yes”.
“Pick up that piece of string from the floor. There, my ‘toy’. The Man reached over and picked up the string. It was about two feet long and the Cat had been able to entertain himself for hours with it. “Now take each end of the string in one hand,” the Cat ordered. The Man did so.
“The end in your left hand is my birth and the end in your right hand is my death. Now bring the two ends together,” the Cat said. The man did so. Then the Cat continued, “You have made a continuous circle. Does any point along the string appear to be different, worse or better than any other part of the string?” The Man inspected the string and then shook his head.
“Close your eyes.” the Cat said. “Now lick your hand.” The Man widened his eyes in surprise. “Just do it,” the Cat said. “Lick your hand, think of me in all my familiar places, and think about all the pieces of string.”
Licking his hand, he discovered what a cat must know, that licking a paw is very calming and allows one to think more clearly. He continued licking and the corners of his mouth turned upward into the first smile he had shown in days. He waited for the Cat to tell him to stop, and when he didn’t, he opened his eyes. The Cat’s eyes were closed. The Man stroked(輕撫) the warm, brown fur, but the Cat was gone.
One day, not long after, there was a new cat on his lap. She was a lovely white cat. It is very different from his earlier beloved Cat and very much the same.
【小題1】Why did the Cat give the man a slightly annoyed look?

A．Because the man’s tears made the Cat really anxious.

B．Because the Cat didn’t know what made the man burst into tears.

C．Because the Cat couldn’t go to sleep when the man was in low spirits.

D．Because the man didn’t have to be so sad and concerned.

【小題2】According to the text, which of the following is the reason why a cat licks paws?

A．Licking paws can make a cat remain calm and have a clear mind.

B．Licking paws will make a cat happy and energetic.

C．Licking paws will make a cat find out many unknown secrets.

D．Licking paws can make a cat stay tidy and healthy.

【小題3】What does the underlined word “string” in paragraph 3 stand for?

A．Life.

B．Birth.

C．Hope.

D．Power.

【小題4】What's the main idea of the passage?

A．Pets play an important part in our life.

B．Life has no end and death is just a new beginning.

C．We should take a positive attitude towards life and live life to its fullest.

D．It gives us some suggestions on how to relieve ourselves when a pet passes away.

When I was younger it seemed that the super hero was Batman or Spiderman. As I grew up, I looked to real people with some of these qualities to be my super hero including being strong, honest, friendly, brave, skilled, hardworking, and reliable. The person I think of when I hear these words is my dad.
My dad is one of the toughest people I have ever met. He has been through it all. When I was five, 60 percent of his body was burned. In 1999 he fell from a tree, breaking his arm and shattering his ankle. In 2004, he had a liver transplant (移植) after being on the list for six years after a bad blood transfusion that gave him Hepatitis C. Now, my dad is 45 years old and feels better than he has in 15 years.
My dad is one of the most reliable people I know. Anything I ask of him, he does. Whenever he tells me he is going to do something, it is always done before I get home from work. Whenever I need my dad, he is there. When I was ten and he told me my grandmother was going to die, I felt really down. He was the one there trying to cheer me up.
My dad has worked hard for everything he has. At home, he is always busy doing projects and has painted every room in our house. After our shop was built, he constructed an office you would think a professional built. When I do something stupid, he helps me fix it. Of course, he does his complaining, but I know he likes fixing things just as much as I like tearing them up.
My dad has been one of the greatest parts of my life. I have learned a lot from watching him and I don’t believe I will ever meet anyone like him. I hope when I grow up, I can possess the same qualities as my dad, and have someone look up to me as a good role model. This is why my dad is my hero. 
【小題1】The author describes his father as reliable mainly _________.

A．by appearance

B．by example

C．by comparison

D．by behavior

【小題2】What does the underlined word “shattering” mean in Paragraph 2?

A．breaking

B．transplanting

C．burning

D．destroying

【小題3】The second paragraph is mainly about ___________?

A．the reasons why 60% of Father’s body was burned.

B．the successful skin transplant in 2010.

C．the sufferings Father has gone through in the last 15years.

D．the operations that Father had through his 45 years of struggle

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

A．busy, tough and reliable	B．strong, skilled and optimistic
C．tough, reliable and hardworking	D．rough, reliable and friendly

【小題5】Which of the following can best serve as the title of this passage?

A．My Father—My Hero	B．My Father and I
C．A Man Who Survived	D．A Good Model to Respect

“I didn't hear them call my name," explained Shelley Hennig to Active Teens (AT) as she talked about that exciting moment on national television when she won the honor of Miss Teen USA 2004. "Are you ready?" is what she heard. Then she said, "I shook my head no, and then they said 'yes' and it was announced again."
It was four days after that life changing moment for the seventeen-year-old high school student from Destrehan, Louisiana -- she was still on cloud nine.
"I was so shocked! I never believed that it could actually really happen." Present in the audience (觀眾) that day were: her mother and father, older brother, her friends, and her dance teacher.
Understanding why members of her family and her friends would be there, AT asked why her dance teacher had traveled so far to see her compete (比賽). "She's always been my role model. I've danced with her since I was six. She's been through so many difficulties and came through them all. I've learned to get over bad life's experiences and learned how to move on because of her."
One of those bad life's experiences for Shelley happened three years ago when her brother Brad was killed in a drunk driving accident. He was 18. She found writing helped her get through the rough days. She said, "I write a lot about my brother. I write a lot, a lot, a lot..."
As Miss Louisiana Teen, she traveled around the state speaking to teens (青少年) about the dangers of drinking and driving. In her role as Miss Teen USA, Shelley will continue to speak to youth about safe driving, in addition to many other things to help the youth.
When AT asked Miss Teen USA if she had any advice for our readers, she said, "Don't let anyone change you. Hang out with people that make you feel good about yourself. That way, it is easy to be yourself."
【小題1】What do the words "on cloud nine" in Paragraph 2 probably mean?

A．frightened

B．troubled

C．very happy

D．very angry

【小題2】Shelley takes her dance teacher as a role model mainly because she is ________.

A．determined

B．friendly

C．strict

D．experienced

【小題3】How many children did the Hennigs have according to the text?

A．1.

B．2.

C．3.

D．4.

【小題4】What did Shelley often do after she became Miss Louisiana Teen?

A．She visited drunken drivers.

B．She gave dance performance.

C．She made speeches on safe driving.

D．She helped other teens with their studies.

【小題5】What suggestion does Shelley give to the teens?

A．Be yourself with the support of friends.

B．Meet friends whenever possible.

C．Go easy on yourself and others.

D．Have a good role model