A boy was born to a couple after eleven years of marriage. They were a loving couple and loved the boy very much. When the boy was around two years old, one morning the husband saw a medicine bottle open. He was late for work so he asked the wife to cap the bottle and keep it in the cupboard. The mother, preoccupied in the kitchen, totally forgot the matter.
The boy saw the bottle and playfully went to the bottle and, fascinated with its color, drank it all. It happened to be a poisonous medicine meant for adults in small dosages. When the child collapsed, the mother hurried him to the hospital, where he died. The mother was stunned. She was terrified how to face her husband.
When the distraught father came to the hospital and saw the dead child, he looked at his wife and uttered just four words. The husband just said ‘I am with you, Darling’. The husband's totally unexpected reaction is proactive behavior. The child is dead. He can never be brought back to life. There is no point in finding fault with the mother. Besides, if only he have taken time to keep the bottle away, this will not have happened. No point in attaching blame. She had also lost her only child. What she needed at that moment was consolation and sympathy from the husband. That is what he gave her.
If everyone can look at life with this kind of viewpoint, there would be much fewer problems in the world. Take off all your envies, jealousies, unforgiveness, selfishness, and fears and you will find things are actually not as difficult as you think. Sometimes we spend time asking who is responsible or whom to blame, whether in a relationship, in a job or with the people we know. By this way we miss out some warmth in human relationship.
56．The uncapped medical bottle was not put back into the cupboard because         .
A．the husband was careless                            B．the husband was busy
C．the wife wasn’t informed of the matter   D．the wife ignored the matter
57．What do we know about the bottle?          .
A．It contained poison only for adults             B．It appeared like a nice drink
C．It was broken by the child                             D．It was kept in the kitchen
58．The husband’s attitude towards his wife can be described as           .
A．optimistic                B．confident                 C．considerate            D．generous
59．What did the writer intend to tell us about life?          .
A．Let go the negative side and we can enjoy life.
B．It is always useless finding who is responsible
C．Think of nothing and life will be easy
D．Life should give way to responsibility

四：閱讀理解（共15小題，每小題2分，共30分）。
閱讀下列短文，從短文后各題的四個選項中，選出最佳選項。
A
A beautiful woman took a plane on business. She found her seat and sat down next to a young man. The man was just thinking of making a few dollars on the plane. When he saw the woman, he got an idea.
“Hey! Would you like to play a game?” he asked the woman. “No, thank you. I just want to take a nap (打盹),” the woman answered. “It’s really easy. All you have to do is to answer the questions that I ask you. If you don’t know the answer, you give me five dollars. If I don’t know the answer to your question, then I’ll give you five dollars.” “No,” the woman still refused. “OK. If I don’t know the answer to your question, I’ll give you five hundred dollars. How about that?” the man said. Then the woman became interested and decided to join in the game.
“OK. How many moons does Jupiter (木星) have?” asked the young man. The woman reached into her purse and took out a five-dollar bill. “What goes up the mountain with three legs and comes back with four?” the woman asked. Then the young man took out his computer and searched the Internet for an answer. Minutes later, the young man handed five hundred dollars to the woman.
After a few hours, the young man really wanted to know the answer to the question. So he asked the woman, “What is the answer to your question?” The woman reached into her purse and handed the young man a five-dollar bill.
46. Why did the man ask the woman to play a game?
A. He wanted to show his kindness.     
B. He wanted to have a pleasant journey.
C. He wanted to earn some money from it.
D. He wanted to make friends with the woman.
47. How much did the woman get at the end of the story?
A. $ 500.        B. $ 5.         C. $ 10.                    D. $ 490.
48. What can we learn from the last paragraph?
A. The woman told the man the answer to her question.
B. The woman gave the man’s money back to him.
C. The woman asked the man another question.
D. The woman didn’t know the answer, either.
49. We can learn from the story that the woman is ______.
A. clever        B. friendly                    C. polite         D. Honest

E
Devon, 17, is used to paying her own cell phone and car expenses. But lately it's been harder. The family she baby-sits for hasn’t been calling as much as usual and she couldn't find a job over the summer. Devon's dad said it's a sign of the tough economy. He told her he's feeling the pinch too and that he had to use her college fund to pay the loan(貨款).
This kind of money troubles isn't strange to common families these days. In fact, it's hard to avoid news about the economy on the screen of the TV or the computers recently. It can seem a bit worry and some families are hit really hard.
For most people, the big problem is that things cost more at a time when they have less money to spend. But higher prices aren't the only problem. Many people are having a tough time making payments on some types of home loans.
Therefore, some families are cutting back on what they spend. For example, eating out less, staying home instead of going on vacation, moving to a less expensive house and so on.
However, as discouraging as things may seem now, the good news is that the economy always gets back on track after a while. Jobs may be hard to find, but the slow economy can open up new opportunities. The couple Devon babysat for might cut back on evening's out, but they could be interested in hiring her for after-school care. Perhaps it's time to sell her old toys and baby gear (設備)in the basement(地下室) or help others sell these items online if she is-good at it. She could charge them a fee to sell their old stuff(東西).
72. What does the underlined phrase in the first paragraph refer to?
A. Getting hurt.               B. Short of money.
C. Out of work.               D. Receiving less calls.
73. According to the passage, what constantly appears on the screen nowadays?
A. News on the tough economy.         B. Devon's family troubles.
C. Advertisements for babysitters.        D. Information on yard sales.
74. What do people do to overcome the tough economy?
A. To strike for high pay.      B. To open a new store to sell toys.
C. To cut down their expense.  D. To move to other places for vocations.
75. The passage is mainly about       ．
A. Devon's own family money troubles    B. family troubles' made by tough economy
C. ways of solving the slow economy    D. the increasing prices and expenses

C
Jim Carrey is one of the most recognized faces in the world—and certainly because of his rubbery face.
Born in Ontario, Canada on January 17th, 1962 to a poor family, young Jim Carrey led a tough life, yet one good thing came out of it: He developed a great sense of humor to cope with life. At 15, he started performing at a Toronto comedy club. later he moved to LA and soon came to the attention of Rodney and went on his tour.
Jim Carrey got his big break in 1990 oil the comedy show la Living Color. There Carrey perfected many characters, most widely-known one "Fire Marshal Bill", who always went up in flames. The show stopped when critics claimed that it encouraged kids to play with fire. This argument put Carrey' s name in the headlines for the first time.
He broke into feature films in one single successful year, 1994, making it the Year of the Funny Face. First there was Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, a surprise hit showing Carrey’s wacky (古怪) style. Next came The Mask, tailor-made for him and a hit with audiences. There was still Dumb and Dumber, which ended up on top of the box office.
Carrey has slowed down, but his films have continued to make waves if not quite of the previous quality. There was Batman Forever, then a sequel to Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, which didn’t quite retake the sparkle (光彩) of the earlier one. Next came Liar, Liar, a terrific success everywhere, putting him back on top. Then came The Truman Show, a film which proved Jim Carrey was more than just a funny face. Snubbed (冷落) by the Oscars, he was clearly considered golden by the fans.
44. All of the following films are considered of excellent quality EXCEPT______.
A. Liar, Liar                B. Dumb and Dumber
C. The Truman Show         D. Ace Ventura : When Nature Calls
45. Which of the following statements about Jim Carrey is TRUE?
A. He has achieved his fame completely due to his face.
B. His hard early life helped develop his style of humor.
C. He received universal praises for his part in In Living Color.
D. Not many people like his performing style.
46. The underline word "sequel" in Paragrah 5 probably refers to_______.
A. an adapted film of the original
B. a film that continues a story
C. a comedy show of a strange style
D. a comment on a funny film
47. What can be the best title of the passage?
A. Jim Carrey—More Than a Funny Face
B. Jim Carrey—Famous "Fire Marshal Bill"
C. Jim Carrey’s Great Films
D. Jim Carrey’s Acting Career

B
Sir Richard Branson today offered a $ 25,000,000 prize for scientists who find a way to save the planet from the effects of climate change.
Supported by the former US vice-president A1 Gore and other environmentalists, the boss of Virgin Atlantic airlines called for scientists to come up with a way to take greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere.
“What we are doing is making sure we get the most carbon dioxide-friendly planes. We promise that 100% of profits we make from our transportation business are put into things like the prize we've offered today. We shall convince people that we are facing a threat which is urgent and there’s no superhero. We have no hope of a meaningful solution unless we find a way to work together.” he said.
Mr Gore said global warming was man-made and was like to the planet suffering from a “fever”. He said, "Humans had slipped into a way of thinking that was centered on ‘short term satisfaction’, and now meet the challenge of ‘transforming ourselves and changing the structures of everything we do’," he said.
Reacting to the launch of the prize, Tony Jupiter, the Friends of the Earth's director, warned against wasting time waiting for new inventions. He said, "Sir Richard' s initiative (初衷) may encourage inventors to develop a wonder technology to deal with carbon dioxide of the atmosphere. But many of the ways, such as energy efficiency and renewables, already exist, and it is essential that these be put into practice as soon as possible. Moreover, Sir Richard must also look at his business activities and the contribution they make to climate change. The world will find it very difficult to settle climate change if air travel continues to expand and space tourism is developed."
40. Sir Richard Branson is ________.
A. a scientist concerned for climate change  B. a businessman working for A1 Gore
C. the boss of Virgin Atlantic airlines     D. the director of the Friends of the Earth
41. The purpose of using A1 Gore' s quotation was to_______。
A. ask people to change the way of thinking
B. compare global warming to an Earth's fever
C. show how serious and urgent the problem is
D. call for more attention to the launch of the prize
42. What is file main idea of the passage?
A. It is important for people to save our planet.
B. Humans are to blame for causing climate change.
C. Scientists are trying to take carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.
D. A prize was offered for solutions to global warming.
43. How was Tony Jupiter’s attitude to space tourism?
A. Negative.     B. Positive.     C. Optimistic.      D. Neutral (中立).

B
The trend in everyday conversation is to use grandiose（夸大的）words. “Outstanding” is new “good,” “amazing” is the new “OK”, and “huge” is the new “big.”
I was in a restaurant in Washington D.C. last weekend and every question I asked was answered with exaggeration.
Me: How is the salmon?
Sever: Fantastic!
Me: Does it come with rice?
Sever: Absolutely!
Would a “good” and a “yes” have been enough? Of course!
My father is an average-sized man. He hasn’t gained weight or height for the past 30 years. Therefore, his size remains the same. However, in the same amount of time, his T-shirt size has gone from small to medium to large to extra large.
The reason for the exaggerated word is clear: we are bored with our lives. We want the next –next thing now. Immediately!
And we also want others to think that we still care, that we can still be delighted, that we know that everything is just great. Even when deep inside we know it can’t be. Everything can’t be great.
I’m not a scientist, so many methods of proof leave little to be desired, or a lot to be desired, or an immensity（無限）.
Listen to the voices around you. Listen to your own voices. There is nothing on the radio that is good or bad , weather is either beautiful or horrible.
Listen, the next time when someone asks you something and you agree, because when you could simply say “yes”, instead you will say “absolutely ” or “without doubt” or “Oh, yeah, unquestionably—absolutely without doubt.”
Have people forgotten what it is like to be OK? Simply OK with what they have and who they are? If everything is outstanding, if everything is the most amazing thing ever, is anything ever amazing at all?
45．By telling his experience in the restaurant, the author intends to_______.
A．show his interest in exaggerated words
B．prove that exaggerated words are widely used
C．blame the restaurant for using exaggerated words
D．tell us the food in the restaurant is extremely good
46．What do we know about the author’s father?
A．He has gained height and is now a tall man.
B．He likes following the fashin in clothing.
C．His weight is getting greater and greater.
D．The size of his T-shirt is described in exaggerated words.
47．So many people like using exaggerated words because________.
A．they are not satisfied with being normal
B．they don’t want to be looked down upon by others
C．they want to be different from others
D．they are brave in telling their true feelings
48．According to the passage, if you approve of something, you’d better say “ ______ ”.
A．fantastic   B．perfect      C．OK   D．Absolutely

B
“The Lord of the Rings”, one of the best sellers in the new millennium（千年）, was made up of three parts——“The Fellowship of the Ring”, “Two Towers”, and “The Return of the King”. Millions upon millions of people have read it in over 25 different languages, but fewer know about the author and the history of the composition of the creative masterwork.
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was born in South Africa in 1892. His parents died when he was a child. Living in England with his aunt, Tolkien and his cousins made up play languages, a hobby that led to Tolkien’s becoming skilled in Welsh, Greek, Gothic, Old Norse and Anglo-Saxon.
After graduating from Oxford, Tolkien served in World War I. In 1917, while recovering from trench fever, he began composing the mythology for The Rings. As a professor of Anglo-Saxon in 1930s at Oxford, Tolkien was part of an informal discussion group called the Inklings, which included several writers. The group was soon listening to chapters of Tolkien’s imaginative work “The Hobbit”.
Hobbit was a name Tolkien created for a local people that could best be described as half-sized members of the English rural（鄉(xiāng)村的）class. Hobbits live in hillside holes. One of them, Bilbo Baggins, looks for treasures with a group of dwarves（侏儒）. On the way, he meets the twisted, pitiful creature Gollum, from whom he sees a golden ring that makes the holder invisible（看不見的）.
One of Tolkien’s students persuaded her employer, publisher Allen & Unwin, to look at a draft（草稿）. The chairman of the firm, Stanley Unwin, thought that the best judge for a children’s book would be his ten-year-old son. The boy earned a shilling for reporting back that the adventure was exciting, and “The Hobbit” was published in 1937.
It sold so well that Unwin asked for a continuation. Over a dozen years later, in 1954, Tolkien produced “The Lord of the Rings”, a series of books so creative that they hold readers—new and old —after their publication.
54. Which of the following is true according to the passage?
A. “The Lord of the Rings” didn’t sell well in the last millennium.
B. People know better about Tolkien himself than about his works.
C. Tolkien was quite familiar with Old English.
D. Tolkien knew very well about different kinds of local languages in Africa.
55. What can we learn about “Hobbit” that Tolkien created in his works?
A. Hobbit was a race living in English downtown areas.
B. Hobbit was a local people who were very tall and strong.
C. Hobbit was a social group of people who lived in old castles.
D. Hobbit was a group of people who were mostly dwarves.
56. Which of the following shows the right order of Mr J.R.R.Tolkien’s life experience?
a. He had his “The Hobbit” published.       b. He became a member of the Inklings.    
c. He served in World WarⅠ              d. He became an undergraduate at Oxford.
e. “The Lord of the Rings” came to the world.  f. He moved to England to live with his aunt.
A. f-d-b-c-a-e        B. f-d-c-b-a-e        C. f-c-d-b-e-a           D. d-f-c-a-b-e

E
For a while, my neighborhood was taken over by an army of joggers. They were there all the time: early morning, noon, and evening. There were little old ladies in gray sweats, young couples in Adidas shoes, middle-aged men with red faces. "Come on!" My friend Alex encouraged me to join him as he jogged by my house every evening. "You'll feel great."
Well, I had nothing against feeling great and if Alex could jog every day, anyone could. So I took up jogging seriously and gave it a good two months of my life, and not a day more. Based on my experience, jogging is the most overvalued form of exercise around, and judging from the number of the people who left our neighborhood jogging army, I'm not alone in my opinion.
First of all, jogging is very hard on the body. Your legs and feet will be a real pounding ruining down a road for two or three miles. I developed foot, leg, and back problems. Then I read about a nationally famous jogger who died of a heart attack while jogging, and I had something else to worry about. Jogging doesn't kill hundreds of people, but if you have any physical weaknesses, jogging will surely bring them out, as they did with me.
Secondly, I got no enjoyment out of jogging. Putting one foot in front of the other for forty-five minutes isn't my idea of fun. Jogging is also a lonely pastime. Some joggers say, "I love being out there with just my thoughts." Well, my thoughts began to bore me, and most of them were on how much my legs hurt.
And how could I enjoy something that brought me pain? And that wasn't just the first week: it was practically every day for two months. I never got past the pain level, and pain isn't fun. What a cruel way to do it! So many other exercises, including walking, lead to almost the same results painlessly, so why jog?
I don't jog any more, and I don't think I ever will. I'm walking two miles three times a week at a fast pace, and that feels good. I bicycle to work when the weather is good. I'm getting exercise, and I'm enjoying it at the same time. I could never say the same for jogging, and I've found a lot of better ways to stay in shape.
72. From the first paragraph, we learn that in the writer's neighborhood ____.
A. jogging became very popular         B. people jogged only during the daytime
C. Alex organized an army of joggers   D. jogging provided a chance to get together
73. What was the writer's attitude towards jogging in the beginning?
A. He felt it was worth a try.                  B. He was very fond of it.
C. He was strongly against it.                         D. He thought it must be painful.
74. Why did the writer give up jogging two months later?
A. He disliked doing exercise outside.      B. He found it neither healthy nor interesting.
C. He was afraid of having a heart attack.  D. He was worried about being left alone.
75. From the writer's experience, we can conclude that ____.
A. not everyone enjoys jogging     
B. he is the only person who hates jogging
C. nothing other than jogging can help people keep fit
D. jogging makes people feel greater than any other sport

第二部分閱讀理解(共20小題；每小題2分，滿分40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。
A
Each time I see a balloon, my mind flies back to a memory of when I was a six-year-old girl. It was a rainy Sunday and my father had recently died. I asked my mom if Dad had gone to heaven. "Yes, honey. Of course," she said.
"Can we write him a letter?"
She paused, the longest pause of my short life, and answered, "Yes."
My heart jumped. "How? Does the mailman go there?" I asked.
"No, but I have an idea." Mom drove to a party store and returned with a red balloon. I asked her what it was for.
"Just wait, honey. You'll see." Mom told me to write my letter. Eagerly, I got my favorite pen, and poured out my six-year-old heart in the form of blue ink. I wrote about my day, what I learned at school, how Morn was doing, and even about what happened in a story I had read. For a few minutes it was as if Dad were still alive. I gave the letter to Mom. She read it over, and a smile crossed her face.
She made a hole in the corner of the letter where she looped(纏繞) the balloon string. We went outside and she gave me the balloon. It was still raining.
"Okay, on the count of three, let go. One, two, three."
The balloon, carrying my letter, darted(猛沖) upward against the rain. We watched until it was swallowed by the mass of clouds.
Later I realized, like the balloon, that Dad had never let his sickness get him down. He was strong. No matter what he suffered, he'd persevere, dart up, and finally transcend(超越) this cold world and his sick body. He rose into sky and became something beautiful. I watched until the balloon disappeared into the gray and white and I prayed that his strength was hereditary(遺傳的). I prayed to be a balloon.
56. When the girl asked her mother if they could write to her father, her mother ______.
A. felt it hard to answer                       B. thought her a creative girl
C. believed it easy to do so                    D. found it easy to lie
57. When the girl was told that she could send a letter to her father, she ______.
A. jumped with joy                           B. became excited
C. started writing immediately            D. was worried that it couldn't be delivered
58. In the eyes of the author, what was the rain like?
A. An incurable disease.                     B. An unforgettable memory.
C. The hard time her father had.                 D. The failures her father experienced.
59. What would be the best title for the passage?
A. The strong red balloon                     B. An unforgettable experience
C. Fly to paradise                          D . A great father

D
Everyone has his or her own idol（偶像）. My idol is a Hollywood movie star — Sandra Bullock. I’ve liked her for two and a half years. I think she has an unbelievably magical power. She’s the best actress in my heart. Actually I am deeply influenced by her. About two years ago, I borrowed a video called “Speed,” in which Sandra played a role. At that time, I still didn’t know who she was. But after seeing that great movie, I was totally struck! Her performance and smile really attracted me. At that time, I started collecting everything about Sandra from magazines, TV and newspapers. But unfortunately, I couldn’t find much information in my hometown. That really disappointed me. All I could do was to get on the internet. Luckily, there were many foreign web sites. I was really happy then. But there was a big problem for me: the Web sites are all in English. So, English became an important part in my life. I decided to learn English well and to be able to read and understand everything. The craziest thing I’ve ever done was to record all her movies, film previews（預告）and interviews. I listened to them over and over every day. When I heard any word that I didn’t understand, I would look them up in the dictionary. That was a good for me because I could learn them in a very short time. It does work, and I never get tired of doing this. It’s been two years since then, and my listening and reading abilities are better than before. I can even chat with my foreign friends on the internet. I should say from the bottom of my heart, “Thank you so much, Sandra.”
If you have an idol like me, I hope you all can get something helpful from that person.
69. Why does the author like Sandra Bullock as the idol?
A. Because Sandra is a woman.                      B. Because Sandra is a Hollywood movie star.
C. Because Sandra acts very well.            D. Because the author wants to learn English well.
70. Where did the author get more information about Sandra?
A. From magazines                         B. From TV                            
C. From newspapers.                         D. From some of the foreign web sites.
71. In the author’s opinion, the idol should be _____.
A. an actor      B. an actress            C. a female      D. worth learning from