In the early part of the twentieth century, racism was widespread in the United States. Many African Americans were not given equal opportunities in education or employment. Marian Anderson (1897-1993) was an African American woman who gained fame as a concert singer in this climate of racism. She was born in Philadelphia and sang in church choirs during her childhood. When she applied for admission to a local music school in 1917, she was turned down because she was black. Unable to attend music school, she began her career as a singer for church gatherings. In 1929, she went to Europe to study voice and spent several years performing there. Her voice was widely praised throughout Europe. Then she returned to the US in 1935 and became a top concert singer after performing at Town Hall in New York City.
Racism again affected Anderson in 1939. When it was arranged for her to sing at Constitution Hall in Washington, DC, the Daughters of the American Revolution opposed it because of her color. She sang instead at the Lincoln Memorial for over 75 000 people. In 1955, Anderson became the first black soloist to sing win the Metropolitan Opera of New York City. The famous conductor Toscanini praised her voice as “heard only once in a hundred years”. She was a US delegate to the United Nations in 1958 and won the UN peace prize in 1977. Anderson eventually triumphed over racism.
【小題1】 According to this passage, what did Marian Anderson do between 1917 and 1929?

A．She studied at a music school.	B．She sang for religious activities.
C．She sang at Town Hall in New York.	D．She studied voice in Europe.

【小題2】Toscanini thought that Marian Anderson        .

A．had a very rare voice	B．sang occasionally in public
C．sang only once in many years	D．was seldom heard by people

【小題3】Anderson’s beautiful voice was first recognized      .
A. at the Lincoln Memorial              B. in Washington, DC.
C. in Europe                            D. at the United Nations
【小題4】This passage shows that Anderson finally defeated racism in the US by         .

A．protesting to the government	B．a(chǎn)ppealing to the United Nations
C．demonstrating in the streets	D．working hard to perfect her art

Last winter, when I was heavily pregnant, I was visiting my sister and brother-in-law's house and had to park in a nearby parking lot because they didn't have accessible parking. The snow was extremely heavy and there was lots of ice on the ground --- not many people had ventured out that evening!
When I returned to my car around 11pm, I noticed that I was the only car left. Nervously, I hopped into the car and let it warm up a bit. When I finally tried to drive away, my wheels began to spin. I was stuck! I spun and spun and wondered what to do.
All of a sudden, in my rear view mirror, I saw four teen-aged boys approaching my car. They were walking side by side in a line and dressed a bit like gang members --- at least I thought that's what they looked like. My car was in a very isolated area and I began to panic. I was certain they were coming to my car to harm me. Terrified, I just froze. One of the young men tapped on my window and said "Excuse me, Ma'am, can we help you? You seem stuck." Still afraid and fearing the worst, I said "I am stuck." And the young man said "It's okay, stay in your car and we'll push you out of the snow." And they did!
When they finally got me out of the snow, they smiled and waved. I rolled down my window and thanked them, embarrassed to have judged them so poorly.
【小題1】Why did the author just freeze when the four young men walking toward her car?

A．Because she was afraid of being harmed.

B．Because she sat in her car for too long a time.

C．Because she was cold indeed in that freezing evening.

D．Because she knew they would rob her of the car.

【小題2】Which of the following words can best describe the four young men?

A．Impolite.

B．Ill-mannered.

C．Unfriendly

D．Warm-hearted.

【小題3】Which of the following is true according to the text?

A．One of the four teenagers was a gang member.

B．The kids wanted to help the author out of trouble.

C．The author would have a baby in her car.

D．The young men enjoyed pushing cars out of the snow.

【小題4】The best title for the text would be___________．

A．Every man has his faults

B．Fortune favors those who use their judgment

C．Don't judge a book by its cover

D．Think twice before you do.

An old woman walked into a clothes shop. She asked the salesgirl to let her have a look at a new dress, but the girl stood still behind the counter(柜臺(tái)),taking no notice of the request. The old woman spoke to the girl again, raising her voice a bit, but still received no answer. The old woman looked at the girl and nodded to herself, “ I am too old to see well. I can’t even tell a plastic model from a real girl!”   On hearing this, the salesgirl shouted to the old woman, “What? Did you call me a plastic model? ”The old woman was greatly surprised. “Oh, dear me, ” she said. “The model can speak!”
【小題1】What did the old woman go to the shop to do?

A．To choose a dress.	B．To buy a dress for herself.
C．To show off her dress.	D．To pick a quarrel with the salesgirl.

【小題2】The salesgirl did not make a reply __________.

A．because she didn't see the old woman

B．because she didn't think the old woman had enough money for a new dress

C．because she was too busy to notice the old woman

D．for some reason unknown in this story

【小題3】It was not until that woman spoke for the _____ time that the salesgirl said something.

A．first

B．second

C．third

D．fourth

【小題4】When the old woman said, “I am too old to see well,” she _______.

A．meant to say that she really had poor eyesight

B．wanted the salesgirl to excuse her

C．was simply telling a lie

D．was, in fact, trying to make the salesgirl open her mouth

【小題5】What do you think the salesgirl would do on hearing this?  She would_____.

A．be too angry to say a word for a moment

B．run and tell the shop owner about it

C．a(chǎn)pologize to the old woman and do what she had been asked to do

D．turn back and cry

After her husband had gone to work, Mrs Richards send her children to school and went upstairs to her bedroom. She was too excited to do any housework that morning.
In the evening she would go to a fancy dress party with her husband. She wanted to dress up as a ghost and as she had made her costume the night before, she was impatient to try it on. Though the costume consisted only of a sheet, it was really splendid. After putting it on, She went downstairs to find out whether it would be comfortable to wear.
Just as Mrs Richards was entering the dining-room, there was a knock on the front door. She knew it must be the baker. She had told him to come straight in if ever she failed to open the door and to leave the bread on the table. Not wanting to frighten the poor man, she quickly hid in the small store-room under the stair. She heard the front door opened and heavy footsteps in the hall. Suddenly the door of the store-room was opened and in came a man. Mrs Richards realized it must be the man from the Electricity Board who had come to read the meter. She tried to explain the situation, saying “It’s only me. ” but it was too late, the man let out a cry and jumped back several paces. When Mrs Richards walked towards him, he fled, losing the door heavily behind him.
【小題1】The reason for Mrs Richards’ excitement that day was that____.

A．she had sent her children to school

B．she was to attend an evening party

C．she wouldn’t do any housework that morning

D．she had made a special costume the night before

【小題2】Mrs Richards went downstairs with the costume on so as to____.

A．made sure that the costume fitted her well

B．frighten the person who was knocking on the door

C．find out if she had finished the costume ?

D．receive the bread and do some cooking

【小題3】The man who was knocking at the door was____.

A．a(chǎn) baker

B．a(chǎn) thief

C．her husband

D．a(chǎn)n electricity man

【小題4】What did the man do after he knocked on the front door?

A．He entered just as Mrs Richards had told him to.

B．He did not do anything as Mrs Richards had expected him to.

C．He stepped directly towards the meter.?

D．He went straight in so as to find Mrs Richards.

【小題5】The man ____ and that made him cry out and run away.

A．thought he must have met a ghost

B．recognized Mrs Richards

C．found out Mrs Richards was walking towards him

D．thought that Mrs Richards must have recognized him

It was already dark when an old man came to a small town. He found an inn and wanted to stay there for the night. After he had gone to his room, the owner said to his wife, “Look at his bag, dear. I’m sure there are lots of valuable things in it. I want to steal it when he is asleep.”
“No, no,” said the woman. “He must look for his bag tomorrow morning. Then he’ll take you before the judge.” They thought and at last the woman had an idea. “We have forgetful grass,” said the woman, “Why not put some into his food? If he has the food, he will forget to take his bag away.” “How clever you are!” said the owner, “Don’t forget it when you prepare supper for him.”
The old man had the food with the forgetful grass and went to bed. The next morning, when the owner got up, he found the door was open and the old man had left with his bag. He woke his wife up and said angrily, “What a fool! Your forgetful grass isn’t useful at all.” “No, no,” said the woman. “I don’t think so. He must forget something.” “Oh, I’ve remembered!” The owner cried out suddenly, “He forgot…”
【小題1】The old man came to the inn _______.

A．in the morning	B．in the afternoon
C．in the evening	D．a(chǎn)t night

【小題2】The owner and his wife wanted to _______.

A．get the man’s bag	B．steal the man’s money
C．make the man pay them more	D．hide the man’s bag

【小題3】The owner and his wife put the forgetful grass into the food because _______.

A．the old man always forgot something

B．they wanted to make the food better

C．they hoped the old man would leave the bag in the inn

D．they wanted to know if the grass was useful

【小題4】According to the passage the old man forgot _______.

A．to take his bag away

B．to tell the owner when he left

C．to close the door when he went to sleep

D．to pay them the inn money

【小題5】Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

A．Both the owner and his wife were clever.

B．The owner of the inn got nothing from the old man.

C．The old man left the inn without his bag.

D．The woman forget to put the grass into the food.

Confucius (551BC～479BC), a Chinese philosopher，one of the most influential men in the history of China. Confucius was born in a noble family in the state of Lu. However，his parents were poor. His father died when Confucius was only three  years old. In 527 BC he began his life as a teacher，usually traveling about and teaching the followers that were around him. Confucius worked as an official of the state of Lu. However，he soon left office to travel and teach. In 484 BC he returned to Lu，where he lived until his death.
Living in the turbulent(動(dòng)蕩的)period，Confucius believed that people must go back to the principles of the ancient wise men. He therefore lectured to his pupils on the classics and taught them how to behave properly in society. Confucius did not write down the principles of his philosophy. The Analects (《論語(yǔ)》)，a work written by some of his followers，is considered the most faithful source of information about his life and teachings.
The teachings of Confucius were practical and moral，rather than religious. He said that man's behavior should be based on five virtues：kindness, uprightness(義)，decorum(禮)，wisdom and faithfulness(信)．He asked everyone to fulfill their duties carefully toward the state. In the centuries after his death，his teachings，known as Confucianism，had a more powerful influence on the Chinese nation.
【小題1】At about what age did Confucius begin his teaching？______

A．51.

B．27.

C．48.

D．24.

【小題2】The Analects is________.

A．considered to have been written by Confucius

B．a(chǎn)bout the principles of the ancient wise men

C．a(chǎn)bout Confucius' life and his teachings

D．considered to be practical in tricks and evils

【小題3】It can be inferred that________.

A．Confucius was born in a very rich family

B．Confucius served as an official in his lifetime

C．the teachings of Confucius are religious

D．Confucianism was more popular after Confucius died

One morning Mrs Smith was driving home after she had done shopping. When she drove near a rubbish dump, she noticed a microwave oven(微波爐) not far from the side of the road.“John is a good electrician!”she said to herself.“Perhaps he can repair this. I'll take it home and let him try.”She picked up the oven and put it in the boot of her car. Then she drove on happily. A few kilometers later, she heard the siren (警報(bào)器)of a police car behind her. She looked in the driving mirror and saw a policeman waving to her to tell her to pull over and stop.
　Mrs Smith was very puzzled. She slowed down at the side of the road. A traffic policeman got out of the police car and walked up to her.　
“Can I see your driving license and insurance certificate(保險(xiǎn)證)，please? ”he asked her. He copied down details of her name, address and the number of the car.“What's wrong, officer?” Mrs Smith asked. The policeman did not reply. He looked in the car and then at the back.      “Open the boot, please.”he said to Mrs Smith.
　Mrs Smith was still puzzled. She opened the boot and pointed to the microwave oven. "I found this old microwave oven a few minutes ago," she said. "I'm just taking it home to see if my husband can repair it." The policeman stared at her for a moment to see if she was telling the truth. "That's not a microwave oven." he said at last. "That's our radar set(雷達(dá)裝置). It was the start of a speed trap. Do you mind if we have it back?"   Mrs Smith's face turned red. "Oh", she said," I'm very sorry. I wouldn't have touched it if I'd known what it was."
【小題1】Why did Mrs Smith pick up the police's radar set and want to take it home?

A．She had no microwave oven and wanted one.

B．She took it for a waste microwave oven.

C．She saw nobody was looking.

D．She just wanted to steal it.

【小題2】The underlined word "boot" in the third paragraph means_____ .

A．the outer covering for the foot

B．the outer covering for the car

C．the place for luggage at the back of a car

D．the place for metal equipment for protection

【小題3】Choose the right order of the events(事件) given in the passage.
a. The policeman wrote down Mrs Smith's name, address and the car number.
b. Mrs Smith picked up a radar set and put it in the boot of her car.
c. The policeman took back the radar set.
d. Mrs Smith went shopping.
e. A policeman signed Mrs Smith to stop her car.
f. The policeman found the radar set in the boot of Mrs Smith's car.

A．b,d,e,f,c,a

B．d,b,e,f,c,a

C．b,d,e,a,f,c

D．d,b,e,a,f,c

Norah had a cottage on a cliff（懸崖）above a big bay. In winter it could be very unpleasant because of strong winds and sea waves. In fact, when a gale was blowing, Norah and her husband got used to sleeping in a small room downstairs, because their bedroom upstairs, which faced the gales, had a very big window, and they were afraid that an extra violent wind might break it and blow pieces of broken glass over them.
Also, the salt wave from the sea put an end to many of the colorful plants Norah planted in her garden. She tried putting up a fence to protect them, but the wind just hit it, went up over the top and then down the other side, so in the end she filled the garden with trees and bushes that liked salt.
But most of the summer Norah enjoyed her cottage and garden very much. At weekends she could sit out-of-doors in the sun, looking at the beautiful view, with interesting ships and boats passing by, and she could very easily cycle down to the sea for a swim.
Now, Norah and her husband had plenty of friends and relations. In the summer lots of them used to come to enjoy the beautiful place, and in the end it really became quite annoying for the couple. When they were at home, they found friends and relations arriving, expecting to be given unlimited drinks and meals, and to sit in the sun for hours, talking as if Norah and her husband had nothing else to do but entertain and listen to them.
This went on for several years. Norah didn’t wish to appear rude by refusing to let her friends and relations in, but on the other hand, she was getting tired every summer.
Then one day Norah was complaining about this to her hairdresser while she was doing her hair. “You’re disturbed by too many uninvited guests, are you?” said the hairdresser. “Why don’t you try my way of escaping?”
“What’s that?” asked Norah.
“Well,” the hairdresser answered, “when the bell rings, I put on my coat and take my shopping bag. If it’s someone I don’t want to see, I say innocently, ‘I’m sorry, but I’ve got to go out.’ But…”
【小題1】The underlined word “gale” can be replaced by _____.

A．wind

B．ship

C．sea

D．a(chǎn)nimal

【小題2】We can infer that _____.

A．lots of friends cam to visit them in winter

B．few friends came to visit them in winter

C．friends came to visit them only for drinks and meals

D．Norah was a good cook

【小題3】How did Norah go to the sea for a swim?

A．She went there by ship.	B．She walked there.
C．She swam there.	D．She went there by bicycle.

【小題4】The hairdresser likely to continue to say “_____” in the end?

A．if I’m tired, I say ‘Sorry, can you come next time?’

B．if it’s someone I like to see, I say ‘How lucky! I’ve just come in!’

C．if it is fine that day, I say, ‘I’m tired of this, but I’ll show you around the place.’

D．if it’s someone I like to see, I say, ‘How happy to see you! But I was going shopping now .’

【小題5】Which of the following is the best title?

A．A Good Place of Enjoying the Sea	B．A Visit to Norah
C．A clever Way of Escaping	D．A Warm-hearted Couple

Even people who don’t understand English can enjoy Chaplin’s films because they are mostly silent. It isn’t what he says that makes us laugh. It depends upon actions which mean the same thing to people all over the world. He is master of the art – a kind of world language.
As a young man, he and his brother traveled to America in a small company of actors. Chaplin was then invited to join a new company that was making film comedies. Very soon he had made dozens of short films for this company. And it was in his second film that he wore the clothes which made his reputation – black hat, tight coat, baggy trousers, huge shoes, moustache and walking stick. He intended simply to make people laugh. But the odd make-up made him look both comic and sad.
By the time he was thirty, Chaplin was the greatest, best known and best loved comedian in the world. He received thousands of dollars for each film he made. He had formed his own manner of acting. He was welcomed by excited crowds wherever he went. But he worked very hard and had few close friends. Perhaps that is why the sad side of the little tramp began to show more clearly in the films he made. The little man began to want more than food and a roof over his head. He began to want love.
In one of his most famous films “The Gold Rush” a girl plays tricks on the little man. Then she begins to feel sorry for him and treats him kindly. He mistakes her pity for love. The girl in “City Lights” is blind. She thinks he is the most wonderful man she has ever met. But then she recovers her sight and sees what a foolish figure he is. This sadness gives Chaplin’s films a depth of human experience which few comedians can equal.
After living in America for forty years he moved to Switzerland. There he died on Christmas Day 1977. He once described himself as a citizen of famous pictures that were made during the 1920s and 1930s, the time of the silent films. But, to many people all over the world Chaplin will always be the king of comedy.
【小題1】What’s the meaning of the underlined word in the first paragraph?

A．A man in control of people, animals or things.

B．A man who is head of a house or a family.

C．A man of great skill in art or work.

D．A skilled workman with his own business.

【小題2】Charlie Chaplin had few friends because he _____.

A．was famous

B．didn’t want to have friends

C．was not good at making friends

D．spent most of his time in working and had no time to make friends

【小題3】In all Chaplin’s films, the main character is _____.

A．a(chǎn) girl	B．a(chǎn) girl and little man
C．a(chǎn) little man	D．a(chǎn) wonderful man

【小題4】We may infer that films with sound probably came into being _____.

A．a(chǎn)fter the 1920s and 1930s	B．in the 1930s
C．in the 1970s	D．a(chǎn)fter the 1930s

【小題5】Which one is wrong according to the passage?

A．The little man didn’t want love.	B．Chaplin made a lot of money.
C．He didn’t live in the same country.	D．He became famous in a short time

A jobless man applied for the position of "office boy" at Microsoft．The HR manager interviewed him and then watched him cleaning the floor as a test．"You are employed," he said．"Give me your e-mail address and I’ll send you the application to fill in, as well as the date when you may start." The man replied, "But I don't have a computer, neither an e-mail." "I'm sorry," said the HR manager．"If you don't have an email, that means you do not exist. And who doesn’t exist cannot have the job．"
The man left with no hope at all．He didn't know what to do, with only ten dollars in his pocket．He then decided to go to the supermarket and buy 10 kg tomatoes．He then sold the tomatoes from door to door．In less than two hours, he succeeded to double his capital (資金). He repeated the operation three times, and returned home happily with 60 dollars．      
The man realized that he could survive in this way, and started to go every day earlier, and return later．Thus, his money doubled or tripled every day．Shortly, he bought a cart, then a truck, and then he had his own fleet (車隊(duì)) of delivery vehicles．Five years later, the man was one of the biggest food retailers (零售商) in the US.
He started to plan his family's future and decided to have a life insurance．He called an insurance broker and chose a protection plan．When the conversation was concluded, the broker asked him his e-mail．The man replied, "I don't have an e-mail．"The broker said curiously, "You don't have an e-mail, and yet have succeeded to build an empire．Can you imagine what you could have been if you had an e-mail?" The man thought for a while and replied, "Yes, I'd be an office boy at Microsoft !"
【小題1】According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?

A．The man was one of the biggest food retailers in the world

B．The man didn't give up though he failed the interview

C．He started his career by selling tomatoes in the supermarket

D．Those who have e-mails can work at Microsoft．

【小題2】The underlined word "tripled" in paragraph 3 can be replaced by ____

A．became large	B．became 3 times
C．decreased slightly	D．decreased quickly

【小題3】The man can be described as ____．

A．helpful and considerate	B．positive and generous
C．smart and hardworking	D．nervous and unselfish

【小題4】Which proverb can best describe the story?

A．Misfortune may be an actual blessing．

B．Where there is a will, there is a way．

C．Accidents will happen

D．No pains, no gains