One of my wonderful memories is about a Christmas gift. Unlike other gifts ,it came without wrap（包裝）. On September 11, 1958, mum gave birth to Richard. After she brought him home from hospital, she put him in my lap（大腿）, saying, “I promised you a gift, and here it is .” What an honor! I turned four a month earlier and none of my friends had such a baby doll of their own. I played with it day and night. I sang to it. I told it over and over how much I loved it! zxxk
One morning, however, I found its bed empty. My doll was gone! I cried for it. Mum wept and told me that the poor little thing had been sent to a hospital. It had a fever. For several days, I heard mum and dad whispering such words as “hopeless”, “pitiful”，and “dying”, which sounded ominous.
“Christmas was coming, don’t expect any presents this year ”Dad said, pointing at the socks I hung in the living room. I’d never seen him cry before.
The phone rang early on Christmas morning. Dad jumped out of bed to answer it. From my bedroom I heard him say.” What? he’s all right?” he hung up and shouted upstairs. “The hospital said we could bring Richard home! ”
“Thank god!” I heard Mum cry.
From the upstairs window, I watched my parents rush out to the car. I had never seen them so happy. And I was also full of joy. What a wonderful day! My baby doll would be home. I ran downstairs. My socks still hung there flat. But I knew they were not empty: they were filled with love!
【小題1】What happened to the author on September 11, 1958 ?

A．He got a baby brother.	B．He got a Christmas gift
C．He became four years old.	D．He received a doll

【小題2】What does the underlined word “ominous” in Paragraph 3 probably mean？

A．Impossible.

B．Boring

C．Difficult

D．Fearful

【小題3】Which word can best describe the feeling of the father when Christmas was coming?

A．Excitement.

B．Happiness.

C．Sadness.

D．Disappointment.

【小題4】What is the passage mainly about ?

A．A sad Christmas day	B．Life with a lovely baby
C．A special Christmas gift.	D．Memories of a happy family

Reading is the key to success in all school subjects. With a bit of creativity, you can help your child enjoy reading more, and encourage him to do more!
Buy or borrow a lot of “fun” books. Choose books that are slightly below his level of reading ability. Don’t forget what your child likes to do when choosing books for him. Don’t comment about the books. Simply leave the books lying on the table where your child is sure to see them. Computer games are not as harmful as most parents usually think them to be. Instead, you should take advantage of your child’s love of computer games to purchase those that require a lot of reading and avoid those that are simply computerized video games.
Buy your child a bedside reading lamp, or a tiny book light. Tell him that from now on, he must be in bed by a specific time (say 8:30) and that he can either sleep or read. Most kids will do anything else rather than go to sleep, so there’s a chance you’ll create a new bedtime reading habit.
Many children will read when they are sitting alone having a snack, or when they have a few minutes of unplanned free time. Put a box of books and magazines near the kitchen table so that reading material is accessible.
Often, once children learn to read independently, parents stop reading to them. This change of routine causes great sadness to a child who has come to love falling asleep as you read. Even a teenager will enjoy being read to if you pick books that interest him. Select books together, and make sure they’re ones you enjoy as well, so your enjoyment will come through as you read to them.
【小題1】In order to make children become interested in reading, what should parents do?

A．Tell them what they can learn from these books.

B．Choose books based on their interest.

C．Choose the easiest books for them to read.

D．Always read books together with them.

【小題2】Which of the following is NOT what parents are advised to do?

A．Reduce children’s sleeping time.

B．Read to children when possible.

C．Have reading material available.

D．Pick the right computer games.

【小題3】What attitude do most parents hold towards children playing computer games?

A．Supportive.

B．Negative.

C．Neutral.

D．Doubtful.

【小題4】What’s the main purpose of the passage? 

A．To help children succeed in school subjects.

B．To give parents advice on how to educate children.

C．To remind parents of the importance of reading.

D．To teach parents how to encourage children to read.

There have been big changes in the attitudes of most parents over the last few years. Physical punishment is banned in schools in most countries ,and in many countries, there are moves to ban all physical punishment of children even at home. However, many parents still believe that they have the right to use some physical punishments to deal with certain misbehavior at certain ages.
It ‘s    easy to find reasons to allow some physical punishments. One issue is that many parents find it very difficult to abandon physical punishment completely. Parents argue that this was the way they were brought up and that it didn’t do any harm to them. They believe that for the child’s sake they have the right to discipline the child in any way they consider fit ，including using some physical punishments. The other one is that physical punishment can be quick and effective. There is not much point reasoning with a screaming child in the supermarket.
However, there are several reasons why we should stop using physical punishment. One point is that most parents are not trained to deal with misbehaving children. They don’t have enough resources or choices to handle the situation. As a result, they immediately react by hitting the child even if there are other solutions to the problem. Another point is that unless people are challenged or forced to change their belief, they may keep following negative habits. An example is seat belt use ——now most people wear seat belts without thinking, while years ago the idea of using seat belts was strange to most people. In the same way, banning physical punishment will force people to change their habits.
In conclusion, parents have to change some of their belief and ideas about how children should be raised. It is possible to avoid the use of physical force,and doing so will help us move closer to the dream of removing violence from our society.
【小題1】According to the first paragraph, many parents think that _____

A． they are free to use physical punishment on their children

B． most of the children behave badly in their daily life

C． they have changed their attitudes towards their children

D． physical punishment is effective to educate their children

【小題2】 Many parents won’t give up physical punishment because _____.

A． they are disappointed with their children

B． they were brought up just in the same way

C． they don’t want to hurt their children badly

D． they don’t know what to do with their children

【小題3】The author gives the example of using seat belts in order to show _____.

A． most people are used to wearing seat belts

B． it’s not difficult to change some negative habits

C． seat belts are really very necessary and useful

D． people won’t change their old habits unless forced

【小題4】The main purpose of the author in writing this passage is to _____.

A． talk about a ban on using physical punishment

B． tell us we should educate our children in other ways

C． advise parents to give up using physical punishment

D． suggest physical punishment should be used at home

“ Dining out”, or “ eating out ”,is a phrase people use in Britain when they eat in a restaurant or a pub. Eating out is more popular in Britain today than ever before.
However, eating out can be expensive. Restaurants are normally more expensive than pubs, though many pubs serve very good ，simple food. As British people don’t dine out every night of the week ,eating in a restaurant is often seen as a special occasion. When going for the first date， or if celebrating an anniversary or a birthday, many people like to go to a restaurant. People often eat in a restaurant before going to the cinema or the theatre.
As in all cultures, there are many rules of etiquette (禮節(jié))surrounding food and eating, and nowhere is this more pronounced than when eating in a smart restaurant. People are almost always expected to eat with a knife and fork and these should be held in the correct hand and used in the correct way. It is also impolite to have your elbows on the dining table when you are eating.
There’re many such “unspoken” rules — they are normally only important when eating in a very elegant and expensive restaurant, and vary slightly from restaurant to restaurant and place to place. A recent nationwide survey showed that there was a divide in manners between the north and south of Britain ---the “worst” manners were in Scotland and the northeast, and the “best” in Wales and the southeast! However, this survey was almost certainly conducted by someone in the southeast, so it may not be entirely fair.
Naturally, restaurants vary greatly in quality and price. However, almost all British cities have a vast range of food and cooking styles to choose from as well as traditional British food, from the very cheap to the very expensive — French, Italian, Indian, Greek, Thai, Japanese and many more. In fact, when asked what their favorite food is, many British people say an Indian curry (咖喱菜)rather than any other dish!
As well as dining in a restaurant ，when people are too tired to cook after work they often get a “takeaway”. This means they order from a takeaway or takeout restaurant by phone, then go to collect it and take it home to eat. Many takeout restaurants also deliver to your house. While you can normally find a takeout restaurant for almost any cuisine, the most popular are Italian, Indian and Chinese — and all you have to do is to open the door, pay and eat!
【小題1】 What can be concluded from the first two paragraphs?

A． The British spend more eating out than cooking at home.

B． The British pay great attention to eating in a restaurant.

C． The British often dine out when celebrating festivals.

D． People tend to eat in a restaurant after watching a movie.

【小題2】 The underlined word “pronounced" in Paragraph 3 probably means “_____

A． polite

B．expensive

C．strange

D．obvious

【小題3】According to the passage, which of the following statements is true?

A． There exist great differences of rules in different restaurants.

B． People from Wales and southeast Britain are the most polite.

C． Your order in a takeout restaurant can be sent to your home.

D． Traditional British food is seldom served in British restaurants.

【小題4】 What does the passage mainly talk about?

A．Restaurant culture in Britain.

B．Table manners in Britain.

C．Different restaurants in Britain.

D．Traditional and foreign foods in Britain.

In the US and Britain, the slogan around colleges was “Save water. Shower with a friend.” Now, Wuhan University has come up with another system for the campus bathhouse. It charges students for the amount of time in a shower. Before entering the bathhouse, students pay for the amount of time they want in the shower with cash or their student ID card. The clock starts ticking the minute the tape is turned on. It pauses when a button is pressed for soap. An integrated circuit (IC) card reader at each tap shows the time. No money, no water. The benefits of the new system can be seen with the old system, which charged 1 Yuan for each person regardless of time in the shower. The university used about 320 tons of water daily under the old system, but only 160 tons now.
Many students use the new system but opinions on it are divided. Some students say it is bad because bathing had become a sort of race. Many people using it for the first time are not sure how long they need to shower. Some might be embarrassed if their time is up and they’re still covered in soap. They have to ask the bathhouse worker to help them buy extra time.
“It’s a flaw in the system that you can not buy extra time on the ID card,” said Ren, a freshman in Wuhan University. The university is also considering some students’ suggestions that they be allowed to pay after they’ve finished the shower. Not surprisingly, some are complaining about losing the hour shower. But many students say the move helps them develop a water-saving sense.
Without the time limits, most students tended to shower for 30 to an hour in the bathhouse.
Some even used the hot water to wash their clothes. “In my experience, 10—20 minutes is enough,” said Dai Zhihua, a third-year student who usually takes 8 minutes.
A similar system has been installed in other universities. Shanghai Normal University introduced it at its Fengxiang Campus in September. The bathing fee there is 0.2 Yuan per minute. One male student responded by setting a record with a two-minute shower.
【小題1】According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?

A．Students buy the time of their showers.

B．The clock times the student’s bathing except when the bather pauses for soap.

C．If money runs out, there will be no water.

D．Having finished bathing, the student has to pay for it.

【小題2】The underline word “flaw” (Paragraph 3) most probably means __________.

A．fault

B．a(chǎn)dvantage

C．pity

D．perfection

【小題3】Since the new system has performed, __________ of water can be saved.

A．a(chǎn) quarter

B．one third

C．one half

D．two thirds

【小題4】It can be inferred from the passage that __________.

A．the new operation can raise students’ environmental awareness

B．the new operation can solve the water crisis

C．a(chǎn) similar operation has been set in other universities

D．the university has saved a lot of water by using the new system

【小題5】In which column can you find this passage?

A．Culture.

B．Society.

C．Campus Life.

D．Lifestyle.

Ball Management
Players should always keep a tennis ball in their hand or pocket during a match. Even the most patient tennis players despise waiting for their opponent to find a ball to serve(發(fā)球).
Behavior & Attitude
Even if you’re playing badly, you should not shout or look depressed in a friendly match. Undoubtedly, your attitude affects how you play, so try to have fun and stay positive.
Pace
Do not deliberately slow the game down. Play at the pace of the server and look ready. Servers also should not rush to start each point. You should re-do the point if you serve the ball before the receiver is ready. The receiver is out of luck, however, if he claims he was not ready after making an attempt at returning the serve.
For Spetators(觀眾)
Cheering
While it is seen as proper etiquette(禮儀）to remain silent during the live play, loud and spirited cheers are welcome after a hard-earned point. The players appreciate the recognition for their efforts and are encouraged to continue playing at a high level when the crowd is actively involved.
Leaving and returning to your seat
During live play it’s expected that all spectators will remain seated until the next break between games. Movements in the stands(看臺) can serve as a distraction(分心的事物) to the players and can also block the view of other audience.
Photography
The issue of camera shutter(快門) noise has earned a lot of attention in golf, but luckily for tennis fans it’s much less of a concern on the court. While the noise produced by the camera is not seen as a major issue, flash photography should be avoided during live play.
【小題1】During warm-ups, tennis player ______________.

A．ought to hit a full pace

B．can place their shots anywhere

C．should not practice competitively

D．had better run around the whole court

【小題2】According to the text, during tennis matches, _____________________.

A．players can slow the game down when tired

B．players don’t have to keep a ball in their hand

C．the receiver shouldn’t return the serve if not ready

D．loud cheers are not allowed even after hard-earned points

【小題3】It can be inferred from the last paragraph that ____________________.

A．flash photography is acceptable on the golf court

B．tennis fans can use flash photography during matches

C．the noise from cameras is not permitted in tennis matches

D．tennis matches require a less degree of quiet than golf ones

【小題4】What’s the text mainly about?

A．Some tips for tennis players to win a match.

B．What to do while watching tennis matches.

C．How to behave properly in tennis matches.

D．Rules tennis players must obey in matches.

My mind went blank when I saw the gun pointing against the car window as we pulled out of the garage. This can’t be happening to me. Then I felt the gun, cold, against my head, and I heard my friend Jeremy saying, “What do you want? Take my wallet,” but at the time I thought of nothing.
I remember being a little annoyed when the gunman pulled me from the car by the hair. I remember the walk to the house --- Jeremy, me, the two men with two guns. I remember the fear and anger in the gunmen’s voices because Jeremy was being slow, and I remember wondering why he was being slow. I did not realize that Jeremy had thrown the keys into the bush. But I remember that sound of the gun hitting Jeremy’s head and the feeling as the man who had hold of my hair released me. And I remember the split second when I realized he was looking at Jeremy, and I remember wondering how far I could run before he pulled the trigger. But I was already running, and upon reaching the car across the street, I didn’t crouch(蹲伏) behind it but screamed instead.
I remember thinking there was something ridiculous and illogical about screaming “Help, help!” at eight o’clock on a Tuesday evening in December and changing my plea(懇求) to the more specific “Help, let me in, please let me in!” But the houses were cold, closed, unfriendly, and I ran on until I heard Jeremy’s screams behind me announcing that our attackers had fled.
The neighbors who had not opened their doors to us came out with baseball bats and helped Jeremy find his glasses and keys. In a group they were very brave. We waited for the police to come until someone said to someone else that the noodles were getting cold, and I said politely, “Please go and eat. We’re OK.”
I was happy to see them go. They had been talking of stricter sentences for criminals, of bringing back the death penalty(處罰) and how the President is going to clean up the country. I was thinking, they could be saying all of this over my dead body, and I still feel that stiffer sentences wouldn’t change a thing. In a rush all the anger I should have felt for my attackers was directed against these contented people standing in front of their warm, comfortable homes talking about all the guns they were going to buy. What good would guns have been to Jeremy and me?
People all over the neighborhood had called to report our screams, and the police turned out in force twenty minutes later. They were ill-tempered about what was, to them, much trouble about nothing. After all, Jeremy was hardly hurt, and we were hopeless when it came to describing the gunmen. “Typical,” said one policeman when we couldn’t even agree on how tall the men were. Both of us were able to describe the guns in horrifying detail, but the two policemen who stayed to make the report didn’t think that would be much help.
The policemen were matter-of-fact about the whole thing. The thin one said, “That was a stupid thing to do, throwing away the keys. When a man has a gun against your head you do what you’re told.” Jeremy looked properly embarrassed.
Then the fat policeman came up and the thin one went to look around the outside of the house. “That was the best thing you could have done, throwing away the keys,” he said. “If you had gone into the house with them…” His voice became weaker. “They would have hurt her” --- he twisted his head toward me --- “and killed you both.” Jeremy looked happier. “Look,” said the fat policeman kindly, “there’s no right or wrong in the situation. There’s just luck.”
All that sleepless night I replayed the moment those black gloves came up to the car window. How long did the whole thing last? Three minutes, five, eight? No matter how many hours of my life I may spend reliving it, I know there is no way to prepare for the next time --- no intelligent response to a gun. The fat cop was right. There’s only luck. The next time I might end up dead.
And I’m sure there will be a next time. It can happen anywhere, anytime, to anyone. Security is an illusion(幻覺); there is no safety in locks or in guns. Guns make some people feel safe and some people feel strong, but they’re fooling themselves.
【小題1】When the writer saw the gun pointing against the car window, ________.

A．she felt very annoyed

B．she lost consciousness

C．she felt very much nervous

D．she lost the power of thinking

【小題2】What most possibly drove the two gunmen away?

A．Jeremy’s fighting	B．The author’s screaming
C．Their neighbour’s brave action	D．The police’s arrival

【小題3】 When the author called for help, the neighbors didn’t come out immediately because ________.

A．they were much too frightened

B．they were busy preparing dinners

C．they needed time to find baseball bats

D．they thought someone was playing a trick

【小題4】The author was happy to see the neighbors go because ________.

A．she hated to listen to their empty talk

B．she did not want to become an object of pity

C．she was angered by their being late to come to her help

D．she wanted to be left alone with Jeremy to get over the shock

【小題5】The police were rather angry because ________.

A．the author was not hurt and gave a false alarm

B．they thought it was a case of little importance

C．the author and Jeremy could not tell the police anything

D．the gunmen had already fled when they arrived on the scene

【小題6】What the author wants to tell us is that ________.

A．neighbors are not helpful in moments of difficulty

B．the police are not reliable when one is in trouble

C．security is impossible as long as people can have guns

D．preventing robbers entering your house is the best choice

Last year, CCTV journalists approached pedestrians with their cameras, held a microphone to their mouth and asked a simple question, “Are you happy?”
The question has caught many interviewees off guard. Even Mo Yan, who just won a Nobel Prize, responded by saying, “I don’t know”.
While the question has become a buzz phrase and the Internet plays host to heated discussions, we ask: What exactly is happiness? And how do you measure it?
In the 1776 US Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson set in writing the people’s unalienable right to “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness”. 235 years on, Wen Jiabao told the nation, “Everything we do is aimed at letting people live more happily.” At National People’s Congress, officials agreed that increasing happiness would be a top target for the 12^th five-year plan.
US psychologist Ed Diener, author of Happiness: Unlocking the Mysteries of Psychological Wealth, describes happiness as “ a combination of life satisfaction and having more positive than negative emotions”, according to US broadcasting network PBS. This may sound straightforward enough, but it still doesn’t explain what determines people’s happiness.
Many argue that happiness is elusive and that there is no single source. It also means different things to different people. For some, happiness can be as simple as having enough cash.
Researchers believe happiness can be separated into two types: daily experiences of hedonic (享樂的) well-being; and evaluative well-being, the way people think about their lives as a whole. The former refers to the quality of living, whereas the latter is about overall happiness, including life goals and achievements. Happiness can cross both dimensions.
Li Jun, a psychologist and mental therapy practitioner at a Beijing clinic, says, “Happiness can mean both the most basic human satisfaction or the highest level of spiritual pursuit. It’s a simple yet profound topic.”
Chen Shangyuan, 21, a junior English major at Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, said his idea of happiness always evolves. “At present it relates to how productive I am in a day,” he said. “It might be linked to job security or leisure time after I graduate.”
Then there is the question of measuring happiness. Does it depend on how many friends we have, or whether we own the latest smart phone? Is it even quantifiable?
Economists are trying to measure happiness in people’s lives. Since 1972, Bhutan’s GDP measurement has been replaced by a Gross National Happiness index. It is calculated according to the peoples’ sense of being well-governed, their relationship with the environment, their satisfaction with economic development, and their sense of national belonging.
In 2009, US economist Joseph Stiglitz proposed “to shift emphasis from measuring economic production to measuring people’s well-being”. But is well-being more easily measured?
【小題1】 In the second paragraph, the writer gave an example to ________.

A．support his idea that being famous is the reason to be happy

B．introduce his topic to be discussed

C．tell people winning a Nobel Prize is a great honor

D．show that the question was quite difficult

【小題2】From what Thomas Jefferson and Wen Jiabao mentioned in the passage, we know ________.

A．people’s happiness is determined by great people

B．people’s happiness is an important target for the development of a country

C．people in all countries have the right to ask the government for a happy life

D．people both in China and America are living a happy life

【小題3】According to the passage, the writer may most likely agree that ________.

A．CCTV journalists are concerned about people’s happiness out of sympathy

B．the question has led to heated discussions about who are the happiest people in China

C．Bhutan’s new index shows that people there are the happiest in the world

D．it is not easy for us to decide what determines people’s happiness

【小題4】What does the underlined word “elusive” in the sixth paragraph mean?

A．a(chǎn)vailable.

B．easy to get.

C．hard to describe.

D．unimaginable.

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

A．Are you happy?	B．The Measurement of Happiness
C．GDP and Happiness	D．The Secret of Happiness

Don't you just love ice skating every winter? I am sure, that since winter is approaching, your skates are set to come out, just waiting to be used. Impress your friends with your new trick on how to ice-skate backwards with the help of these tips. Skating backwards on ice is a bit difficult but once you master the basic, there' s nothing like it. Follow the steps given below and you will be able to skate backwards in no time.     
Stand Straight
The first thing that you need to do is, stand straight. If you feel that you are falling backwards, then just put your chin up and slightly bend your knees. Don't worry; this happens to all.
Confidence is What You Need
The most important step while learning how to skate backwards, is having enough confidence in yourself and in what you are doing. How can you achieve this? By practice. Just practice rolling backwards down a gentle slope every single day or just by pushing off from a wall or something of that sort. But before you do that, make sure that the place where you are practicing is free from any kind of debris（碎片）because otherwise, you could end up in the hospital due to some accident. While going backwards, just get used to the feeling of moving backwards. One of the important ice skating tips and techniques is that if you feel that you are losing your balance, then scissor (做剪式運動) your skates. Keep practicing this till you are confident about it.
Maintain Speed
Confident now? Great! Now the next step is to maintain your speed. While rolling in a straight line with one skate, with the other try sculling (滑漿), that is, keep pushing yourself backwards with an outwards stroke (滑動). Now bring the skate which you were using to scull, and then again, repeat the same process. Make sure that you put most of your weight on the skate which is moving straight and not the one with which you are sculling. Now, try the same thing using the other foot. Again keep doing this till you are confident enough.
Increase Your Speed Now
Once you are confident that you can scull with either foot, the next thing that you have to do is increase your speed. Try some of your own tricks now. Scull with either foot or with both at the same time.
Scull and Be Aware
While you keep one foot straight, keep sculling with the other. You can do that simultaneously with both feet. Concentrate on what you are doing but don't get so involved that you don't see where you are going. If you are not watching your back, you might just bang against something or someone.
【小題1】According to the text, confidence comes from ________ .

A．constant exercise

B．strict coaches

C．high speed

D．good techniques

【小題2】Which is the right order of ice-skating backwards?
a. Increasing your speed.                       b .Being able to scull with one foot.
c. Being about to stand straight.                   d. Trying some different tricks.

A．c→a→d→b

B．c→b→d→a

C．c→b→a→d

D．a(chǎn)→c→b→d

【小題3】 In the last paragraph the author mainly wants to express _________.

A．one must be brave to learn to ice-skate backwards

B．skating and keeping cautious are both important

C．it’s difficult to concentrate when ice-skating backwards

D．it' s a common thing to hit someone when ice skating backwards

【小題4】The purpose of the text is _______ .

A．to offer some advice on ice-skating backwards

B．to introduce the culture of ice-skating backwards

C．to explain advantages of ice-skating backwards

D．to compare different ways of ice-skating backwards

Dear Guys,
I’d like to talk to you about the shame you subjected me to last night. Let me first refresh your memory: You, a group of fit, young men, were playing soccer on the field across from my apartment building. I, a better-than-average looking young woman, was walking along the sidewalk with my groceries. That’s when your ball came flying over the fence and landed in front of me.
One of you approached and asked politely if I would throw the ball back to you. Fighting the urge to drop my bags and run screaming down the street, I reluctantly agreed.
Before I continue, let me explain something that I didn’t have a chance to mention last night: I hate sports. More specifically, I hate sports involving balls. This results from my lack of natural ability when it comes to throwing, catching and hitting. I’m bad at aiming too. So you can understand why I’d be nervous at what I’m sure seemed to you like a laughably simple request.However, wanting to appear agreeable, I put my bags down, picked up the ball and, eyes half-shut, and threw it as hard as I could.
It hit the middle of the fence and bounced back to me.
Trying to act casually, I said something about being out of practice, then picked up the ball again. If you’ll remember, at your command, I agreed to try throwing underhand. While outwardly I was smiling, in my head, I was praying, Oh God, oh please oh please oh please. I threw the ball upward with all my strength, terrified by what happened next.
The ball hit slightly higher up on the fence and bounced back to me.
This is the point where I start to take issue with you. Wouldn’t it have been a better use of your time, and mine, if you had just walked around the fence and took the ball then? I was clearly struggling; my smiles were more and more forced. And yet, you all just stood there, motionless.
Seeing that you weren’t going to let me out of the trouble, I became desperate. Memories of middle school softball came flooding back. I tried hard to throw the ball but it only went about eight feet, then I decided to pick it up and dash with ball in hand towards the baseline, while annoyed thirteen-year-old boys screamed at me that I was ruining their lives. Children are cruel.Being a big girl now, I pushed those memories aside and picked up the soccer ball for the third time. I forced a good-natured laugh while crying inside as you patiently shouted words of support over the fence at me.
“Throw it granny-style!” one of you said.
“Just back up a little and give it all you’ve got!” another offered.
And, most embarrassing of all, “You can do it!”
I know you thought you were being encouraging, but it only served to deepen the shame.
Anyway, I accepted your ball-throwing advice, backed up, rocked back and forth a little, took a deep breath and let it fly.
It hit the edge of the fence and bounced back to me.
I surprised myself --- and I’m sure you as well --- by letting out a cry, “DAMN IT!!!” I then willed myself to have a heart attack and pass out in front of you just so I’d be put out of my misery. Alas, the heart attack didn’t happen, and you continued to look at me expectantly, like you were content to do this all night. I had become a sort of exhibition for you. I could feel your collective thoughts drifting through the chain-link: “Can she really not do it? But I mean, really?”
Unfortunately for you, I wasn’t really game to continue your experiment. Three failed attempts at a simple task in front of a group of people in a two-minute period was just enough blow for me for one night. I picked up the ball one last time, approached the fence and grumbled, “Please just come get the damn ball.”
And you did. And thanks to you, I decided at that very moment to never throw anything ever again, except disrespectful glances at people who play sports.
Sincerely, Jen Cordery
【小題1】 The writer agreed to throw the ball because _______.

A．she needed to have a relax carrying the heavy groceries

B．she wanted to refresh her childhood memories

C．she could not refuse the polite request from the young man

D．she had fallen in love with the young man at first sight

【小題2】Which of the following is closest in meaning to the underlined word “game”?

A．a(chǎn)nxious

B．brave

C．a(chǎn)fraid

D．curious

【小題3】Why did the writer mention her middle school memory?

A．To explain why she failed the attempts to throw the ball back.

B．To complain that she had not mastered the ball throwing skills.

C．To show how cruel those 13-year-old boys were.

D．To express her dislike towards softball.

【小題4】What the boys said before the writer’s third attempt actually made the writer ________.

A．inspired

B．encouraged

C．embarrassed

D．depressed

【小題5】What’s the writer’s purpose in writing this open letter?

A．To express her regret over what she did the day before.

B．To announce that she would never play ball games again.

C．To explain her own inability to throw the ball over the fence.

D．To criticize the young men for their cruelty to her dignity.