Mr. and Mrs. Gordon were sitting on the sand， reading their magazines． Mr. Gordon was too stingy（吝嗇）to rent a chair． Their twelve－year－old daughter，Sandra， was playing at the water's edge． Suddenly a huge wave lifted Sandra up and carried her out to sea． Fortunately， a lifeguard　was on duty and he saw the wave carry Sandra away． He ran along the beach and dived into the sea． He swam quickly to where the girl， with her head only just above the water， was shouting for help． She was very frightened． When the lifeguard reached her,? she struggled with him， as drowning people often do． However， he was a skilful lifeguard and quickly took hold of her and swam with her back to the beach． By the time he reached it， Mr. and Mrs. Gordon had realized what had happened． They had run down to the water's edge． Neither of them could swim． They just stood in the shallow water， and worried about their daughter． Had the lifeguard reached her in time？ Fortunately， he had． “That was quick work，young man，”Mr. Gordon said． He turned to his wife， “Give the lifeguard a dollar．” “A dollar！” Sandra cried． “Dad，how can you give him a dollar！ He saved my life． I was half dead．” “Quite right， girl?” Mr. Gordon said， pleased by his daughter's awareness（知道） of the value of money． He turned to his wife again and said， “She's right． She was only half dead． Give him fifty cents． ”
【小題1】What happened to Sandra？

A．She ran into the sea．

B．Her life was saved by a lifeguard．

C．She was drowned．

D．She died．

【小題2】What did Mr. and Mrs. Gordon do when Sandra was carried out to sea by the wave？

A．They shouted to the lifeguard．

B．They dived into the water．

C．Perhaps they were reading magazines．

D．They offered the lifeguard money to save Sandra．

【小題3】Why was Sandra angry with her father？

A．He did not give the lifeguard any money．

B．He did not swim out to save her．

C．He did not show the lifeguard hearty thankfulness．

D．He gave the lifeguard too much money．

【小題4】Why was Mr. Gordon pleased with her daughter？

A．She was safe again．

B．She was polite to the lifeguard．

C．He thought she did not want him to give the life-guard too much money．

D．She gave the lifeguard fifty cents．

One day I took several pairs of shoes to the shoemaker to be mended. After a week I went to take them back. Four months later, my husband and I were invited to dinner. I took out a pair of shoes. I hadn't worn them since they were mended. I put one shoe on my right foot, and then I put the other on my left. But I felt that the other one was on the wrong foot. I took both shoes off for a closer look. They were nearly the same style (式樣), color and size, but each was for the right foot. Then I thought of the shoemaker. Though I was sure he wouldn't remember me after such a long time, I called him.  "Thank goodness you called me at last!"  He said happily.  "An angry woman has been troubling me for months!"
【小題1】How many pairs of shoes did the woman take to the shoemaker to be mended?

A．One shoe.	B．Two pairs of shoes.
C．Only three shoes.	D．Some pairs of shoes.

【小題2】The shoemaker ___________.

A．was very careful with his work

B．mistook one of the woman' s shoes for the other woman' s

C．forgot the woman because it happened a long time ago

D．was troubled by two men

【小題3】Did the woman look at the shoes carefully after they were taken back?

A．Yes, she did.	B．The story didn't tell us.
C．No, but her husband did.	D．No, she didn't.

【小題4】The shoemaker felt very            when the woman rang him.

A．sad

B．a(chǎn)ngry

C．glad

D．worried

Dr Asim Syed, 32, has performed more than 100 operations at London’s Hammersmith Hospital in the country’s busiest transplant unit, but never imagined that he would one day become a donor himself.
He stepped forward when was told his 64-year-old mother might be dead within months unless she got a new kidney (腎). The worried surgeon brought her to London to be cared for at his hospital. However, it was not all plain sailing. Tests showed Dr Syed was the wrong blood group, so the only way was to go through a special blood-washing process. He consulted colleagues about that, but they didn’t agree, because the risk of rejection is still too high. Dr Syed and his mother were then advised to consider a new way of donating and receiving, called an organ-paired. That is, Dr Syed donated his kidney to an unknown person and another donor in the chain was a successful match for his mother. The chain of three transplants took place at the same time on July 31 with Dr Syed’s kidney going to a recipient in the Midlands and Mrs. Syed receiving her kidney from a person in the south of England.
Just hours after donating his own kidney, Dr Syed found himself recovering in bed next to his mother. Mrs Syed said, “When I came round from my operation Asim was in the next bed and the first thing he said was, ‘Mum now all your worries are over.’ Tears fell down.”
Now mother and son are recovering well with Dr Syed already back at work. Mrs. Syed is staying with him for several months while the hospital monitors her progress.
He said, “I did what anyone would do when they see a relative suffering disease. Although I wasn’t able to help mum directly, by agreeing to be part of a chain, I was also very happy.”
【小題1】 Why isn’t it a plain sailing?

A．No one can treat his mother well.

B．Dr Syed was the wrong blood group.

C．They didn’t have money to be in hospital.

D．Mrs. Syed was unwilling to receive the operation.

【小題2】Why didn’t his colleagues agree to the method of blood-washing?

A．It is very dangerous.	B．It costs too much.
C．They didn’t know how to do it at all.	D．They didn’t have the relative equipment.

【小題3】 What can we learn about Mrs. Syed?

A．She was touched by his son’s deed.

B．She has already recovered completely.

C．After operation, she went her own home.

D．She was in hospital in London for many years.

【小題4】What can be inferred from the text?

A．The hospital still needs improving.

B．Dr Syed has love and devotion to his parents.

C．The expense in the hospital is too high to afford.

D．Dr Syed donated his kidney to his mother directly.

The dirty, homeless man sat on the pavement, staring at the atones. He thought back more than twenty years to when he was a boy living in a small red brick house on this very street. He recalled the flower garden, the swing his dad made, and the bike he had saved up for months to buy.
The man shrugged impatiently, for the brightness of those pictures hurt him, and his memory travelled on another ten years. He had a job by then, plenty of friends and started to come home less. He did not really want to remember those years, nor the day when, because o’ debts, he had gone home planning to ask for money. He felt embarrassed, but he knew exactly where his dad kept the money. When his parents stepped out of the room, he took what he wanted and left.
That was the last time he had seen them. Ashamed, he went abroad, and his parents knew nothing about the years of wandering or time in prison. But locked in his cell he often thought of home. Once free, he would love to see his parents again, if they were still alive, and still wanted to see him.
When his prison time was up, he found -a job, but couldn’t settle. Something was drawing him home. He did not want to arrive penniless, so he hitchhiked most of the long journey back. But less than a mile from his destination he started to feel sick with doubt. Could they ever accept this man who had so bitterly disappointed them?
He spent most of that day sitting under a tree. That evening he posted a letter which, although short, had taken him hours to write. It ended with:
I know it is unreasonable of me to suppose you want to see me ... so it’s up to you. I’ll come early Thursday morning. If you want me home, hang a white handkerchief in the window of my old bedroom. If it’s there, I’ll come in; if not, I’ll wave good-bye and go.
And now it was Thursday morning and he was sitting on the pavement at the end of the street. Finally he got up and walked slowly toward the old house. He drew a long breath and looked.
His parents were taking no risks. ________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
The man threw his head back, gave a cry of relief and ran straight through the open front door.
【小題1】 Why did the man shrug impatiently (paragraph 2) while he was thinking of his childhood?

A．The thoughts made him angry.

B．He felt he had wasted time.

C．He was anxious to go home.

D．The sweet memory caused him much pain.

【小題2】Why did it take him hours to write the letter?

A．He doubted if his parents still lived in that house.

B．He had much news to tell his parents.

C．He felt ashamed to ask for forgiveness.

D．He was longing to return home and felt excited.

【小題3】 In what order did the following events take place?
a. He took the money from his parents.
b. He bought a bicycle with his savings.
c. He was sentenced to prison.
d. He wrote the letter home.
e. He sat on the pavement.
f. He hitchhiked back home.

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

【小題4】Which of the following best fits into paragraph 8 ?

A．Every inch of the house was covered in white. Sheets, pillowcases and table clothes had been placed on every window and door, making it look like a snow house.

B．The house before him was just as he remembered: the red bricks, the brown door and nothing else.

C．A colourful blanket was over the front door. On it, in large letters, was written, "Welcome home, son

D．A police car was parked in the drive way, and two officers stood at the front door.

【小題5】The best title of the passage is _______.

A．Sweet Memory	B．White Handkerchief
C．Abandoned Son	D．Leaving Home

When movie star Scarlett Johansson was photographed naming in Los Angeles recently, she attracted a lot of attention; for the 27-year-old actress was wearing Vibram FiveFingers, so called because they look more like gloves than shoes, with a space for each toe.
Strange though they may look, these so-called barefoot shoes, which reproduce the effect of barefoot running but with less pain, are just one brand in a range of minimalist footwear. These super-thin sports shoes are causing a stir in the world of running and fitness. Why? Because some experts believe they could make you a better, more efficient runner and that traditional trainers could be doing you more harm than good.
"Wearing a shoe that has lots of cushioning and support affects the way your body naturally moves and studies suggest that this carries a higher risk of injury," explains Matt Wallden, an athlete performance expert. "But with barefoot shoes, the foot can actually feel the firmness and shape of the ground, which allows your body to respond effectively.’"
But before you rush out to invest in minimalist footwear, be careful. These kinds of shoes are not meant for everyone, or at least not straight away.
"Ordinary sports shoes with support are good for beginners whose bodies are not used to the impact of running," explains Patrick Davoren, former Olympic athlete. "It you are not in great condition, then running in minimalist footwear may cause injuries and will turn a lot of people off exercise and running.
If you are currently injured, and figures show that in any given year 65% of all runners are, it can be tempting to try anything that promises to get you back on the road, trail, or beach. But barefoot running is not a method of treating injury nor is it a magical way of suddenly turning you into a great athlete.
Even if you’re used to running, when you start using minimalist shoes you should build up your distance gradually. Start_off’by doing just 10% of what you’d normally run and increase the distance by no more than 10% every week. And a word of warning - you may never have soft feet again
【小題1】The Vibram FiveFingers are shoes ______.

A．specifically designed for women

B．that have lots of cushion inside

C．safest for people who enjoy sports

D．that are much thinner than normal sports shoes

【小題2】The underlined word "they" in paragraph 2 refers to ________.

A．experts

B．feet

C．shoes

D．runners

【小題3】According to Matt Wallden, the new shoes ________.

A．make feet more sensitive to the running surface

B．will produce immediate improvements

C．force your body to move less naturally

D．increase the chances of getting hurt

【小題4】The author suggests that new users of Vibram FiveFingers should ________.

A．run in the shoes every day at top speed

B．begin with a shorter running distance than normal

C．occasionally run barefooted to harden their feet

D．make sure they are already very fit before using them

【小題5】Where would you probably read this article?

A．A travel book.	B．A movie website.
C．A sports magazine.	D．A science journal.

Beatrix Potter was a great English writer and artist, best known for her children’s books featuring animal characters such as in the children’s classic -- The Tale of Peter Rabbit.
Beatrix was born into a rich London-based family where she was tutored by very strict private teachers and so spent her youth isolated from other youngsters.
During her youth she had a lot of pets and spent vacations in Scotland and also the Lake District. It was at the Lake District that she developed a love of wildlife. She studied the area’s natural wonders carefully and painted them continuously. But her old-fashioned, Manchester-born parents discouraged her intellectual improvement, thinking it inappropriate for a young lady. However, her study and watercolour paintings of wild mushrooms made her widely respected within the field of biology.
In her 30’s, Beatrix Potter wrote the remarkably successful kid’s book, The Tale of Pew Rabbit. Close to that time she became secretly engaged to her publisher Norman Warne. This caused a great disagreement with her parents, who did not approve of Beatrix getting married to somebody of lower social status. Sadly, Warne died before the marriage ceremony.
Ultimately Beatrix Potter began writing and also illustrating (繪圖) kid’s books full-time. Using profits from her books, Beatrix grew to become economically independent of her parents and was eventually in a position to buy Hill Top Farm in the Lake District. She extended the property with additional purchases of neighbouring land over time. In her 40’s, Bestrix married William Heelis, a local lawyer. She ended up becoming a sheep breeder and farmer while continuing to publish as well as illustrate books for children. In all she authored 23 publications.
Beatrix died on December 22, 1943, and left the majority of her property to the National Trust. Her books carry on selling well globally, in many different languages. Her stories have been retold in numerous formats including a ballet, movies, and cartoons.
Such is her reputation, and that of the characters from her publications, that many Beatrix Potter statues have been created. These tiny Beatrix Potter statues which include pretty much all the actual characters in her publications have become highly valued by art collects and fans of her literature throughout the world.
【小題1】 What can we learn about Beatrix Potter’s early life?

A．She learned drawing skills from her tutors.

B．She was very sociable and outgoing.

C．She was greatly inspired by the beauty of nature.

D．She was encouraged to think creatively and independently.

【小題2】Why did Beatrix Potter’s parents oppose the idea of her marriage to Norman Warne?

A．They did not believe she was mature enough to get married.

B．They thought Warne was only interested in Beatrix Potter’s wealth.

C．They believed that the couple’s characters were mismatched.

D．They considered Warne to be too common for their daughter.

【小題3】According to the passage, which part of the UK did Beatrix Potter love most?

A．Manchester.

B．Scotland.

C．The Lake District.

D．London.

【小題4】In which of the following areas did Beatrix Potter show an interest during her life?

A．Writing, biology, farming.

B．Drawing, nature, ballet.

C．Movies, farming, drawing.

D．Writing, mushrooms, travel.

【小題5】What is the function of the last two paragraphs of the passage?

A．To describe the consequences of Beatrix Potter’s death.

B．To present the lasting cultural influence of Beatrix Potter and her works..

C．To show the changes in attitude towards Beatrix Potter’s works over the past years.

D．To criticize the commercialization of Beatrix Potter’s characters since her death.

Anthony was sad. He was, as he put it, “not very bright” and couldn’t win the attention of his very wealthy parents, who preferred his “clever” older brother. At age 8, Anthony was sent away to a boarding school in his native England, even though he screamed and pleaded with（懇求）his parents year after year not to send
him. “The thought was ,it would be good for me,” he recalled.
It was not. Anthony did badly in his studies, had few friends and was bullied for five years. “My teachers couldn’t have had a lower opinion of me,” he said. “I wasn’t even smart enough to rebel. The one thing I remember from the very earliest age was the desire to write. When I was 10 years old, I remember asking my parents to get me a typewriter for my birthday because I wanted to be a writer.”
Now, at 55, Anthony is one of the world’s most successful children’s book authors. His Alex Rider series has sold more than 5 million copies，and the eighth book featuring the young spy, Crocodile Tears, has come out.
The Alex Rider books tell the adventures of 14-year-old Alex Rider, an agent for the British intelligence agency M16.
Anthony says he doesn’t try to write for kids; it just comes out that way.“ I have a feeling that it has something to do with purity and simplicity. I give as little information as is necessary to describe the room, the character in the room, and get on with the action,” he said.
The style has also made Anthony a successful writer of television shows for adults in Britain because, he says, writing books for kids is a lot like writing television for grown-ups: In both cases, it’s all about entertaining people with a good story.
Now, Anthony couldn’t be happier with his life. He sums up his success:“…you can be anything you want to be if you just believe in yourself. I do believe it completely.”
【小題1】Which of the following is true of Anthony?

A．He was the beloved child of his family.

B．Although he is successful, he isn’t very happy.

C．He places more emphasis on the characters’ behavior in his stories.

D．Studying in a boarding school proved a good choice for him.

【小題2】At boarding school , Anthony’s teachers_____________.

A．often criticized him.	B．showed great concern for him.
C．encouraged him to be a writer.	D．thought little of his ability.

【小題3】What would be the best title for the passage?

A．Anthony’s popular books—Alex Rider series

B．Alex Rider, a popular character

C．Anthony, a successful children’s book author

D．Special writing style

【小題4】What advice does Anthony give to readers?

A．Confidence is the key to success.	B．Hardship teaches valuable lessons.
C．Internet is the best teacher.	D．Failure is the mother of success.

 Professor Reason recently persuaded 35 people to keep a diary of all their absent-minded actions for two weeks. When he came to analyze their embarrassing errors, he was surprised to find that nearly all of them fell into a few groups.
One of the women, for instance, on leaving her house for work one morning threw her pet dog her earrings and tried to fix a dog biscuit on her ear. “The explanation for this is that the brain is like a computer,” explains the professor. “People programme themselves to do certain activities regularly.” It was the woman’s custom every morning to throw her dog two biscuits and then put on her earrings. “But somehow the action got reversed（顛倒）in the programme.” About one in twenty of the incidents the volunteers reported were these “programme assembly failures.”
Twenty percent of all errors were “test failures” — mainly due to not verifying the progress of what the body was doing. A man about to get his car out of the garage passed through the back yard where his garden jacket and boots were kept, put them on — much to his surprise. A woman reported, “I got into the bath with my socks on.”
The commonest problem was information “storage failures”. People forgot the names of people whose faces they knew, went into a room and forgot why they were there, mislaid something, or smoked a cigarette without realizing it.
The research so far suggests that while the central processor of the brain is liberated from second-to-second control of a well-practiced routine, it must repeatedly switch back its attention at important decision points to check that the action goes on as intended. Otherwise the activity may be gotten by another frequently and recently used programme, resulting in embarrassing errors.
【小題1】The purpose of the professor’s research is to __________.

A．show the difference between men and women

B．sort and explain some errors in human actions

C．find the causes which lead to computer failures

D．compare computer functions with brain working

【小題2】Which of the following might be grouped under “programme assembly failures”?

A．A woman went to a shop and forgot what to buy.

B．A man returning home after work left his key in the lock.

C．A lady fell as she was paying attention to each step her feet were taking.

D．An old man, with his shoes on, was trying to put on his socks.

【小題3】The underlined word “verifying” (in paragraph 3) can be replaced by “_______”.

A．improving

B．changing

C．checking

D．stopping

【小題4】According to the passage, the information “storage failure” refers to “_______”.

A．information collecting system being destroyed

B．one’s total memory being removed

C．the loss of part of one’s memory for a time

D．the separation of one’s action from words

Almost two-thirds of children want their parents to spend more time reading to them before bed, and most prefer Mum’s storytelling to Dad’s, researchers said.
They conducted a study that showed younger children aged 3-4 were most hungry for more stories, with over three-quarters saying they wished their parents read to them more often.
More than half of all children aged 3-8 said story time was their favourite pastime with their parents.
"The results of our research confirm the traditional activity of storytelling continues to be a powerful learning and emotional resource in children’s lives," said child psychologist Richard Woolfson.
Storytelling ranked higher than television or video games among pastimes for kids, and 82 percent said reading a story with their parents helped them sleep better, according the survey of 500 children aged 3-8 in Britain.
The best storytellers were mothers who used funny voices to illustrate different characters or made their own special sound effects to keep the story moving, researchers said.
When mum and dad are not at hand, celebrities will do: over 30 percent of children said they would like to hear a bedtime story from Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe, with teen idols Zac Efron, Miley Cyrus and Emma Watson.
"It can be very difficult for parents to find the time to read with their children, but these moments can help build strong bonds and play a vital part in their child’s development," said Woolfson.
【小題1】The underlined word “pastime” in the passage mot probably means        .

A．old time

B．entertainment

C．emotion

D．character

【小題2】The author develops the passage mainly by      .

A．pointing out similarities and differences	B．following the natural time order
C．comparing opinions from different fields	D．providing examples and statistics

【小題3】Reading a story with their parents helped most kids aged 3-8       .

A．grow stronger	B．become more emotional
C．sleep better	D．become more powerful

One morning more than thirty years ago, I entered the Track Kitchen, a restaurant where everyone from the humblest(卑微的)to the most powerful came for breakfast. I noticed am empty chair next to an elderly, unshaven man, who looked somewhat disheveled. He was wearing a worn-out hat and was alone. I asked if I might join him. He agreed quietly and I sat down to have my breakfast.
We cautiously began a conversion and spoke about a wide range of things. We never introduced ourselves. I was concerned that he might have no money and not be able to afford something to eat. So as I rose to go back to the counter and buy a second cup of coffee, I asked,
“May I get you something?”
“A coffee would be nice.”
Then I bought him a cup of coffee, We talked more, and he accepted another cup of coffee, Finally, I rose to leave, wished him well, and headed for the exit. At the door I met one of my friends. He asked,
“How did you get to know Mr. Galbreath?”
“Who?”
“The man you were sitting with. He is chairman of the Board of Churchill Downs.”
I could hardly believe it. I was buying, offering a free breakfast, and feeling pity for one of the world’s richest and most powerful men!
My few minutes with Mr. Galbreath changed my life. Now I try to treat everyone with respect, no matter who I think they are, and no matter another human being with kindness and sincerity.
【小題1】What does the underlined word “disheveled” mean?

A．Unfriendly.

B．Untidy.

C．Gentle.

D．Kind.

【小題2】The author bought coffee for the old man because     

A．he thought the old man was poor

B．he wanted to start a conversation

C．he intended to show his politeness

D．he would like to thank the old man

【小題3】How did the author probably feel after he talked with his friend?

A．Proud.

B．Pitiful.

C．Surprised.

D．Regretful

【小題4】What is the message mainly expressed in the story?

A．We should learn to be generous.

B．It is honorable to help those in need.

C．People in high positions are not like what we expect.

D．We should avoid judging people by their appearances.