One day, a poor boy who was trying to pay his way through school by sending newspapers door to door, was so hungry that he decided to beg for a meal at the next house.
However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door. Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water. She thought he looked hungry so she brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it slowly, and then asked, “How much do I owe (欠) you?”
“You don’t owe me anything,” she replied. “Then I thank you from the bottom of my heart.” With these words, Howard Kelly left that house.
Years later the woman became badly ill and was finally sent to the hospital in a big city. Dr. Howard Kelly, now famous, was called in. When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes. Dressed in his doctor’s clothes, Dr. Kelly went into her room and recognized her at once. From that day on, he gave special attention to her, and decided to do his best to save her life.
At last the woman was saved. Dr. Kelly asked the business office to pass the final bill to him. He looked at it and then wrote something on the side. The bill was sent to the woman’s room. She was afraid to open it because she was sure that it would take the rest of her life to pay for it off. Finally she looked, and the note on the side of the bill caught her attention. She read these words:
“Paid in full with a glass of milk, Dr. Howard Kelly.”
Tear of joy flooded her eyes.
【小題1】The boy sent newspapers door to door in order to ________.

A．thank the woman for her kindness

B．continue his schooling

C．become a famous doctor

D．support his poor family

【小題2】Which is true about the boy and the woman?

A．He was too shy to ask her for some water.

B．She thought he was not hungry but thirsty.

C．She wanted him to pay for the glass of milk.

D．She never thought he would save her life later.

【小題3】After Dr. Kelly knew who the woman was, he ________.

A．refused to take good care of her himself

B．decided to try his best to save her

C．told her she once gave him a glass of milk

D．a(chǎn)sked for her bill and paid it off at once

【小題4】The best title for this passage is ________.

A．The Final Bill	B．A Warm-hearted Woman
C．A Glass of Milk	D．A Famous Doctor

Ginny Ruffner is one of the best-known glass artists in the United States. Her one-of-a-kind pieces are colorful, detailed and often humorous. Over the years, she became famous for a method called lamp working, also known as flame working. It involves using a torch to melt and shape the glass instead of blowing on it.
Ginny Ruffner almost died in a three-car accident in 1991. No one thought the Seattle-based artist would ever walk or talk again. An award-winning(優(yōu)等的) film documentary explores that period of her life. "It's scary when you can't talk, you can't do... all your life." said Ruffner.
Ms. Ruffner was in a coma(昏迷) for five weeks and a wheelchair for five years. But she overcame her injuries. And although she still has difficulty walking and talking, she has willed herself back to work. Now, she has a team that helps bring her dream to life.
Her team recently finished an eight point five meter-high flowerpot made of steel and aluminum. It is now in downtown Seattle. Ms. Ruffner was recently honored in Washington, DC.  The Renwick Gallery presented a special showing of the film, "A Not So Still Life, the Ginny Ruffner Story."
Ms. Ruffner says “it has been a long battle, but the hardest part has not been the physical problems. I hate being taken for granted, being ignored. The way I talk, people assume that I'm either really old, or kind of retarded(智力遲鈍的), and that is so frustrating."
But she is firm. She says "Fortunately I've done a lot of stuff in my life, so I know that the best thing is to be open to the mystery, who knows what great things will happen. I'm sure they're many more to come."
Ginny Ruffner's art can be seen in more than forty museums around the world. Her work and her life continue to motivate people of all ages.
【小題1】Within five years after a car accident, Ginny Ruffner _____.

A．was unconscious of everything

B．had trouble walking and talking

C．got over injuries completely

D．went back to her work

【小題2】From this passage we can learn _____.

A．Ginny Ruffner finished an eight point five meter-high flowerpot made of steel and aluminum himself

B．The Renwick Gallery made him a the film documentary , "A Not So Still Life, the Ginny Ruffner Story."

C．Ginny Ruffner's art is shown in more than forty museums in the United States

D．Ginny Ruffner’s story has encouraged people to do what they want to

【小題3】What was the most difficult to accept for Ginny Ruffner?

A．The physical disabilities

B．Being considered old andstupidity

C．Being looked down upon

D．Being mistaken as a useless man

【小題4】The best title of this passage is _____.

A． A New Exhibit of Bright Life

B．The Life of a Glass Artist

C． A New product of a glass artist

D．The Introduction of a Great Glass Artist

【小題5】From this passage we can know Ginny Ruffner is _____.

A．determined and optimistic

B．a(chǎn)mbitious and stubborn

C．hopeful and energetic

D．devoted and active

Mr. Scott has worked at a police station since he left army five years ago. He’s brave and has already caught many thieves. He was promoted (提升) to the rank of officer last month. Now he works harder.
It was Mrs. Scott’s birthday yesterday. The woman thought her husband was very busy, and she decided to hold a small party only with her husband. Mr. Scott agreed with her and they didn’t invite any friends of theirs to the party. At noon he didn’t go home for lunch and went to a shop. There he bought an expensive diamond necklace for his wife. He hoped to put it on her neck with his own hands at the party. To his sorrow, a rich woman’s house was broken into and some jewelry was stolen, and at once he was sent there to solve the case (案件)，when he came back to his office, it was late at night. He was tired and hungry. He brought out the necklace and was going to leave when he was asked to answer a telephone. Several minutes later when he came into his office, he found the necklace was gone, and he saw the case (盒子) only on his table. He became very angry and called all the policemen in and told them about it. But nobody admitted having stolen the necklace.
“I’ll give you a chance.” Said Mr. Scott, “ All the lights will be turned off. The man who took the necklace away will be able to put the necklace into the case in the dark.”
A few minutes later, Mr. Scott turned on the lights again. To his surprise, the case was also stolen.
【小題1】Mr. Scott was promoted because _______.

A．he had been in the army.

B．he was young.

C．he had worked there for five years.

D．he did his duty better than his workmates.

【小題2】Having read the story, we can know ______.

A．Mr. and Mrs. Scott loved each other.

B．the necklace was the most expensive in the town.

C．The Scotts had a few friends there.

D．Mr. Scott was the richest at the police station.

【小題3】At last, _________

A．Mr. Scott knew who had stolen the necklace.

B．Mr. Scott lost both the necklace and the case.

C．the thief put the necklace back into the case.

D．Mr. Scott caught the thief in his office.

Happy April Fool’s Day! In celebration of the day, we have put together a list of some of the greatest hoaxes (惡作劇) in history. They are the lies that have been designed for innocent people who are ready to believe them.
▲INSTANT COLOR TV
In 1962 there was only one TV channel in Sweden, and it broadcast in black and white. The station’s Kjell Stepson, appearing on the news to announce that thanks to a newly developed technology, all viewers could now quickly and easily transform their existing sets to display color reception. All they had to do was pull a nylon (尼龍) stocking over their TV screen, and they would begin to see their favorite shows in color. Reportedly, hundreds of thousands of people, were taken in. Actual color TV transmission only started to appear in Sweden on April 1, 1970.
▲SAN SERRIFFE
In 1977 the British newspaper The Guardian published a special seven –page supplement(增刊) in honor of the tenth anniversary of San Serriffe, a small republic located in the Indian Ocean. A series of articles affectionately asked for more information about the beautiful holiday spot. Few noticed that every thing about the island was made up.
▲NIXON FOR PRESIDENT
In 1992 American National Public Radio’s Talk of the Nation program announced that, Richard Nixon, in a surprise move, was running for President again. His new campaign slogan was, “ I didn’t do anything wrong, and I won’t do it again.” Accompanying this announcement were audio clips(片斷) of Nixon delivering his election speech. Listeners responded immediately to the announcement, flooding the show with calls expressing shock and anger. Only during the second half of the show did the host John Huckleberry reveal that the announcement was a practical joke. Nixon’s voice was copied by comedian Rich Little.
【小題1】Which of the following countries in NOT mentioned in the text?

A．India

B．The UK

C．The United States

D．Sweden

【小題2】Who worked as a host on the radio?

A．Kjell Stepson

B．Rich Little

C．Richard Nixon

D．John Huckleberry

【小題3】When did the small republic San Serriffe come into being?

A．In 1962

B．In 1977

C．In 1992

D．Never

【小題4】Where can we probably read this article?

A．In the ad.

B．In a magazine

C．In a novel

D．In a news report

Florence Nightingale was born in a rich family. When she was young she took lessons in music and drawing, and read great books. She also traveled a great deal with her mother and father. 
As a child she felt that visiting sick people was both a duty and a pleasure. She enjoyed helping them. 
At last mind was made up. “I’m going to be a nurse,” she decided. 
“Nursing isn’t the right work for a lady,” her father told her. 
“Then I will make it so,” she smiled. And she went to learn nursing in Germany and France. When she returned to England, Florence started a nursing home for home. During the Crimean War in 1854 she went with a group of thirty eight nurses to the front hospitals. What they saw there was terrible. Dirt and death were everywhere to be seen — and smelled. The officer there did not want any woman to tell him how to run a hospital, either. But the brave nurse went to work. 
Florence used her own money and some from friends to buy clothes, beds, medicine and food for the men. Her only pay was in smiles from the lips of dying soldiers. But they were more than enough for this kind woman. 
After she returned to England, she was honored for her services by Queen Victoria. But Florence said that her work had just begun. She raised money to build the Nightingale Home for Nurses in London. She also wrote a book on public health, which was printed in several countries. 
Florence Nightingale died at the age of ninety, still trying to serve others through her work as a nurse. Indeed, it is because of her that we honor nurses today. 
【小題1】When she was a child, Florence ____ .

A．loved to travel very much

B．knew what her duty in life was

C．loved to help the sick people

D．was most interested in music and drawing

【小題2】What made Florence make up her mind to become a nurse？

A．Her father’s support.

B．Her desire to help the sick.

C．Her education in Germany and France.

D．Her knowledge from reading great books.

【小題3】During the Crimean War in 1854, Florence served in the front hospital where ____ . 

A．she earned a little money

B．work was very difficult

C．few soldiers died because of her work

D．she didn’t have enough food or clothes

【小題4】The passage can best be described as ____ .

A．the life story of a famous woman

B．a(chǎn) description of the nursing work

C．a(chǎn)n example of successful education

D．the history of nursing in England

Disease, poverty, hate, love－Charles Dickens’ stories opened his readers eyes to the most important themes of his age. Two hundred years on, his stories still speak volumes across the world, proving that Dickens’ legacy（遺產(chǎn)） was far greater that just “great-literature”. February 7 marks the 200th anniversary of the writer’s birthday. To mark this date, BBC writer Alex Hudson listed six things Dickens gave the modern world. Let’s take a look at two of them.
A White Christmas
Dickens is described as “the man who invented Christmas” － not the religious festival, but the cultural aspects that we associate with the festive season today. In the early 19th century, Christmas was barely worth mentioning, according to critic and writer Leigh Hunt. The committee which ran the Conservative Party even held ordinary business meetings on Christmas Day－unthinkable in the West nowadays, when everyone but the most necessary workers takes at least three days off. Many people believe that Dickens’ popular descriptions of the festive period became a blueprint for generations to come. In his classic novel, A Christmas Carol, he not only put forward the idea of snow at Christmas, but also painted a picture of glowing warmth－“home enjoyments, affections and hopes”. In his biography of Dickens, Peter Ackroyd wrote: “Dickens can be said to have almost single-handedly created the modern idea of Christmas.”
“Dickens” poverty
Dickens was one of the first to take an honest look at the underclass and the poor of Victorian London. He helped popularize the term “red tape” to describe situations where people in power use needless amounts of bureaucracy(官僚作風(fēng)) in a way that particularly hurts the weaker and poorer members of society.
“Dickensian” has now become a powerful word for describing an unacceptable level of poverty. In 2009, when the president of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers in the UK wanted to talk about poverty in some areas of Britain, she did not use words like “terrible” or “horrific”, but rather described it as “l(fā)ife mirroring the times of Dickens”.
【小題1】The article is mainly about          .

A．a(chǎn) brief introduction to Charles Dickens’

B．the characters in Charles Dickens’ stories

C．Charles Dickens’ impact（影響力) on the world

D．Charles Dickens’ achievements in literature

【小題2】Why is Dickens’ called “the man who invented Christmas”?

A．Because he created both religious and culture festival.

B．Because one of his novels helped to shape Christmas celebrations.

C．Because his novels have something to do with Christmas.

D．Because he was the first man to have proposed celebrating Christmas.

【小題3】We can learn from the passage that          .

A．Charles Dickens’ novels reflect(反映) the true life at his age

B．Dickensian is widely used to describe the Christmas

C．Every person can take three days off for Christmas

D．The theme of Charles Dickens’ stories is about poverty

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

A．Dickens gave the modern world six things.

B．Dickens is still popular today in Britain.

C．Dickens invented Christmas

D．Agreements made by the underclass of society

In the year after my mother left us, my father was 42 and he knew that he wasn’t going to make it to 43. He wrote a letter to me and hoped that something in it would help me for the rest of my life.
Since the day I was 12 and first read his letter, some of his words have lived in my heart. One part always stands out. “Right now, you are pretending to be a time killer. But I know that one day, you will do something great that will set you among the very best.” Knowing that my dad believed in me gave me permission to believe in myself. “You will do something great.” He didn’t know what I would be, and neither did I, but at times in my life when I’ve felt proud of myself, I remember his words and wish he were here so I could ask, “Is this what you were talking about , Dad ? Should I keep going?”
A long way from 12 now, I realize he would have been proud when I made any progress. Lately, though, I’ve come to believe he would want me to move on to what comes next: to be proud of , and believe in somebody else. It’s time to start writing my own letters to my children. Our children look to us with the same unanswered question we had. Our kids don’t hold back because they’re afraid to fail. They’re only afraid of failing us. They don’t worry about being disappointed. Their fear ---- as mine was until my father’s letter---- is of being a disappointment.
Give your children permission to succeed. They’re waiting for you to believe in them. I always knew my parents loved me. But trust me: That belief will be more complete , that love will be more real, and their belief in themselves will be greater if you write the words on their hearts ：“Don’t worry; you’ll do something great .”Not having that blessing from their parents may be the only thing holding them back.
【小題1】We learn from the text that the author__________.

A．lost his father when he was young

B．worked hard before he read his father’s letter

C．a(chǎn)sked his father’s permission to believe in himself

D．knew exactly what great thing his father wanted him to do

【小題2】What does the author tell us in the 3rd paragraph?           

A．Children need their parents’ letters.

B．Children are afraid to be disappointed.

C．His children’s fear of failure held them back.

D．His father’s letter removed his fear of failing his parents.

【小題3】Which of the following is true of the author?

A．He got no access to success.

B．He wrote back to his father at 12.

C．He was sure his parents loved him.

D．He once asked his father about the letter.

【小題4】The main purpose of the text is to        .

A．describe children’s thinking

B．a(chǎn)nswer some questions children have

C．stress the importance of communication

D．a(chǎn)dvise parents to encourage their children

I had been rather proud of myself when my friends and family got the ticket，whether it was for speeding，parking or stop sign violations (違反)．It was something that happened to others. But last Friday I joined the club.
I was asked to do a new project last week. On Friday morning on my way to work，I suddenly remembered that I had spent the past six weeks without considering that I had a week’s vacation planned during that time. I was very disappointed with myself for not remembering it. The fact  is that I was not paying enough attention to my driving and I did not come to a complete stop at the stop sign in front of a school. I was so distracted (思想不集中的)that I didn’t even notice I had a policeman on my tail with his lights flashing. Finally I looked in my mirror and caught on.
The policeman was rude and took my papers. Fortunately，I had everything up to date and since I had never had a ticket before，there was nothing for him to do but write me a ticket. While I was sitting there in the seat of “shame”，I felt bad. If I had been that distracted and a child had run onto the road，perhaps I would have not reacted as well as I could have. It was a wake-up call.
People at work asked me if I tried to talk my way out of it. Frankly，it never occurred to me. I felt guilty. Now I no longer have a clean driving record. Please be careful out there，as a moment’s distraction can lead to tragedy.
【小題1】What is this passage mainly about?

A．The writer’s most unforgettable experience.

B．How the writer got her first ticket.

C．An accident caused by the writer.

D．Why the writer is always so careful.

【小題2】We can infer that the underlined part “the club” in Paragraph 1 here refers to ________.

A．people who are crazy about driving cars

B．a(chǎn) club for drivers without much experience

C．people who get tickets for breaking traffic rules

D．a(chǎn) club for people to talk about their driving stories

【小題3】What made the writer unable to focus on her driving?

A．Planning how to spend the vacation.

B．Thinking of the forgotten vacation.

C．Thinking about her work.

D．Missing her children.

【小題4】From the experience，the writer has probably learnt ________.

A．what is really important to her

B．how to deal with policemen

C．to enjoy the small things in life

D．to be much more careful

His first successful fight was for the equal rights of black people in South Africa. Then, as the first black president, he fought to unite the country and organize the government. Now Nelson Mandela has set his sights on a new enemy, AIDS.
On March 19 the 82-year-old, former president, hosted his second AIDS-awareness concert. He warned that 25 million people in Africa were already infected with the fatal disease.
Mandela was born in a small village in South Africa in 1918. He was adopted by the chief of his tribe and could have been a chief himself and lived a happy country life.
But he refused to be a chief when his people lived under racial discrimination(歧視). He decided to fight for equal rights for all the people in South Africa. Before 1990, under the country’s Racial Segregation Law, colored and white people lived separately. Black people were treated unfairly even when taking a bus. Blacks had to stand at the back of the bus to make room for white people even when there were only a few of them on board.
For his opposition to the system, Mandela was arrested and spent 27 years in prison. He was freed in 1990 and became the president of the country after the first election were held in which everyone could vote.
Mandela was not only a political fighter who attacked with speeches. He was also a trained boxer and fought in the ring when he was young.
“Although I did not enjoy the violence of boxing, I was interested in how one moved one’s body to protect oneself, how one used a strategy both to attack and retreat”, he wrote in his autobiography.
As a skillful fighter, he chose music as his weapon against AIDS. He hopes to win another victory against AIDS.
【小題1】When was Mandela arrested? 

A．In 1963	B．In 1990
C．When he refused to be a chief	D．When he became the president

【小題2】Nelson Mandela succeeded in doing the following except _______.     

A．winning the equal rights for the black people in South Africa

B．Uniting South Africa

C．organizing a government in South Africa

D．controlling the spread of AIDS

【小題3】If Nelson Mandela hadn’t fought against racial discrimination, he_______. 

A．could have been the president of South Africa

B．could still have lived a happy life

C．could have been in a difficult situation

D．would have been an excellent boxer

【小題4】Which of the following statements can best describe the life of Nelson Mandela?

A．struggle is his life

B．sports make his fame

C．fight for equal rights

D．a(chǎn) great fighter against government.

Have you ever heard the old saying ,"Never judge a book by its cover" ?This is a good rule to follow when trying to judge the intelligence of others. Some people have minds that shine only in certain situations. A young people with an unusual gift in writing may find himself speechless in the presence of a pretty girl when he speaks. He may not be able to find the right words. But don't make mistake of thinking him stupid, with a pen and a paper, he can express himself better than anybody .
Other people may fool you into overestimating (過(guò)高估計(jì)) their intelligence by putting up a good front. A student who listens attentively and takes notes in class is sure to make a favorable impression on his teachers. But when it comes to exams, he may score near the bottom of the class .
It all boils down to this: you can't judge someone by appearance. The only way to determine a person's intelligence is to get to know him. Then you can see how he reacts to different situations. The more situation you see, the better your judgment is likely to be. So take your time. Don't judge a book by its cover .
【小題1】The passage suggests that ______.

A．a(chǎn) good writer may not be a good speaker

B．a(chǎn) good writer is always a good speaker

C．a(chǎn) speechless person always writes well

D．a(chǎn) good writer will find himself speechless

【小題2】According to this passage, a student who listens attentively and take notes in class ______. 

A．is an intelligence student

B．may not be a intelligence student

C．will score better in exams

D．will not be a good student

【小題3】The passage suggests that we should judge a person's intelligence through ______. 

A．his teachers	B．his deeds in the classroom
C．his appearance	D．his reaction to different situations

【小題4】The writer of this passage wants to tell us ______.

A．not to judge a book by the cover

B．not to make the mistake of thinking a young man stupid

C．not to overestimate a student's intelligence

D．not to judge person’s intelligence by his appearance