When I was a kid, I was close to my dad, but as I grew older, my dad and I grew further apart. We always had totally different opinions. He thought that college was a waste of time, but for me it was important to finish college. He wanted me to work my way to the top as he had done in his field, but I wanted a different life. There was a time when we did not talk with each other.
A few months ago, I heard that my 84-year-old dad was in poor health. When he called and asked whether I could move from Colorado back to Tennessee to help him, I knew he was seriously ill. I am his only child and so it was time to meet my father’s requirement.
Two weeks after moving back, we bought a boat and started fishing again. Fishing was one of the few things that we did while I was young and that we both enjoyed. It is strange but true that as we are fishing we are able to put things that have kept us apart for so many years behind us. We are able to talk about things that we have never talked about before. Fishing has been healing the old wounds that have kept us apart
It is not important how many fish we catch. It is about enjoying the relationship that we have not had for years. I’m 62 and he is 84. When we are on the lake fishing, it is like two kids enjoying life. It is far better to find a way to put the unhappy past behind. I am so lucky to spend the happy time with my father in his last years. Now my heart is filled with love. A smile always graces my lips.           
【小題1】The author and his father became further apart because______________.

A．they had different views on things

B．they lived very far from each other

C．they only communicated by phone

D．they seldom went to see each other

【小題2】What made the author come back to Tennessee?

A．Because his father invited him to go fishing.

B．Because he decided to live in a different city.

C．Because his father is ill and needs caring.

D．Because he regretted being rude to his father.

【小題3】For the author，fishing with his old father___________ .

A．helps cure his father’s disease

B．is a good way to get close to nature

C．makes him realize the importance of exercise

D．offers a chance for them to communicate

【小題4】According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?

A．The writer’s car is always breaking down.

B．Father intended me to be a fisherman.

C．I was unwilling to come back.

D．Father used to think it was useless to attend college..

【小題5】What can be the best title for the text?

A．Forgiving Is Difficult	B．Fishing Brings Us Together
C．Memories of Old Days	D．My Beloved Father

I really love my job because I enjoy working with small children and like the challenges and awards from the job. I also think my work is important. There was a time when I thought I would never have that sort of career.
I wasn’t an excellent student because I didn’t do much schoolwork. In my final term I started thinking what I might do and found I didn’t have much to offer. I just accepted that I wasn’t the type to have a career.
I then found myself a job, looking after two little girls. It wasn’t too bad at first. But the problems began when I agreed to live in, so that I would be there if my boss had to go out for business in the evening. We agreed that if I had to work extra hours one week, she’d give me time off the next. But unfortunately, it didn’t often work out. I was getting extremely tired and fed up, because I had too many late nights and early mornings with the children.
One Sunday, I was in the park with the children, and met Megan who used to go to school with me. I told her about my Situation. She suggested that I should do a course and get a qualification(資格證書) if I wanted to work with children. I didn’t think I would be accepted because I didn’t take many exams in school. She persuaded me to phone the local college and they were really helpful. My experience counted for a lot and I got on a part-time course.
I had to leave my job with the family, and got work helping out at a kindergarten.
Now I’ve got a full-time job there. I shall always be thankful to Megan. I wish I had known earlier that you could have a career, even if you aren’t top of the class at school.
【小題1】What is the author’s present job?

A．Working part-time in a college.

B．Taking care of children for a family.

C．Helping children with their schoolwork.

D．Looking after children at a kindergarten.

【小題2】When staying with the two girls’ family, the author ________.

A．was paid for extra work

B．often worked long hours

C．got much help from her boss

D．took a day off every other week

【小題3】Why did the author leave her first job?

A．She found a full-time job.

B．She was fed up with children.

C．She decided to attend a part-time course.

D．She needed a rest after working extra hours.

【小題4】 What’s the meaning of the underlined word “fed up”?

A．Troublesome.

B．Loving.

C．Excited.

D．Great.

【小題5】What has the author learned from her own experiences?

A．Less successful students can still have a career.

B．Qualifications are necessary for a career.

C．Hard work makes an excellent student.

D．One must choose the job she likes.

How to Get What I Want?
There’s an expression: “What you see is what you get.” My grandfather used to say: “If you looked at a tree long enough, it will move.” We see what we want to see. Psychologists tell us that nothing controls our lives more than our self-image. We live like the person we see in the mirror. We are what we think we are. If you don’t think you’ll be successful, you won’t. You can’t be it if you can’t see it. Your life is limited to your vision. If you want to change your life, you must change your vision of your life.
Arnold Schwarzenegger was not that famous in 1976 when he met with a newspaper reporter. The reporter asked Schwarzenegger: “Now that you’ve retired from bodybuilding, what do you plan to do next?” Schwarzenegger answered very calmly and confidently: “I’m going to be the No. 1 movie star in Hollywood.” The reporter was shocked and amused at Schwarzenegger’s plan. At that time, it was very hard to imagine how this muscle-bound bodybuilder, who was not a professional actor and who spoke poor English with a strong Austrian accent, could ever hope to be Hollywood’s No. 1 movie star!
So when the reporter asked Schwarzenegger how he planned to make his dream come true, Schwarzenegger said: “I’ll do it the same way I became the No. 1 bodybuilder in the world. What I do was create a vision of who I want to be, and then I start living like that person in my mind as if it were already true.” Sounds almost childishly simple, doesn’t it? But I worked! Schwarzenegger became the No. 1 highest paid movie star in Hollywood. Remember: “If you can see it, you can be it.”
There’s a successful businessman who often wears a shirt with these words on it: “Don’t just pursue your dreams. Chase down and tackle! ” you only get one life to live, so why not live the best life possible? So you can be fully satisfied at what you see and get.
【小題1】What did Arnold Schwarzenegger do before he became a Hollywood star?

A．He worked for a newspaper.

B．He was a man working on bodybuilding.

C．He worked in a small film company.

D．He was a businessman.

【小題2】Why was it hard for the reporter to believe that Schwarzenegger would become a star one day?

A．Because he was not famous.

B．Because he was not professional and spoke poor English.

C．Because he was good at nothing except bodybuilding.

D．Because he only spoke English fluently.

【小題3】What did Schwarzenegger plan to do to make his Hollywood star dream come true?

A．He continued to build his body.

B．He went to make more movies.

C．He lived a life like a movie star.

D．He tried his best to meet the movie directors.

【小題4】What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 4 mean?

A．Have a dream and make it come true.

B．Stop your dream and find realistic things to do.

C．You can just daydream alone.

D．There’s nothing to do in the world but dream.

The clock struck eleven at night. The whole house was quiet. Everyone was in bed except me. Under the strong light, I looked sadly before a huge pile of troublesome  stuff  they call “books”.
I was going to have my examination the next day. "When can I go to bed?" I asked myself. I didn’t answer, in fact I dared not.
The clock struck 12."Oh, dear!" I cried, "ten more books to read before I can go to bed!” We pupils are the most wretched creatures in the world. Dad does not agree with me on this. He did not have to work so hard when he was a boy.”
The clock struck one. I was quite hopeless now. I forgot all I had learnt. I was too tired to go on. I did the only thing I could. I prayed, “Oh, God, Please help me pass the exam tomorrow. I do promise to work hard afterwards, Amen.” My eyes were heavy, so heavy that I could hardly open them. A few minutes later, with my head on the desk, I fell asleep.
【小題1】When the author was going over his lessons, all the others in the house were_____ .

A．a(chǎn)sleep

B．working in bed

C．outside

D．quietly laughing at him

【小題2】 Reviewing his lessons didn’t help him because ________.    .

A．it was too late at night

B．he was very tired

C．his eyes l ids were so heavy that he couldn’t keep them open

D．he hadn’t studied hard before the examination

【小題3】The best title for the passage would be __________ .

A．The Night Before the Examination	B．Working Far into the Night
C．A Slow Student	D．Going Over My Lessons

It is common and usual to see people freak out when they face challenges in their life. We all pass in different life problems and challenges. No one is free of life problems. Only a dead man faces no problem. As long as you are alive, challenges are everywhere.
How do you face problems and challenges in your life? Problems and challenges are the building blocks of your personality. They make you who you are. Besides, whether what happened in your life builds or destructs you depends on how you look at it. If you take your problems as troubles, they will be troubles and may cause destruction. If you take them as constructive tools, you are going to be built up on them.
Problems are everywhere. No one can avoid them. And they are good too. They open up a different look and opportunity if you are willing to see. When you face troubles, do not frustrate or freak out. Just cool yourself to think in a different direction. Think in a positive way. Every problem has its own good as well as bad sides. Focus on the good one. Look at the bright side.
Besides, there is always a good person, perhaps your mom or dad, or one of your friends, right beside you who can turn everything into your best if you are willing to turn to them. No matter what happens­,they will be there to help you. Trust them and they will never let you down. All you need to know is that you are loved wherever you are.
【小題1】What’s the meaning of the underlined phrase “freak out” in Paragraph 1?

A．feel shy

B．stay calm

C．keep up

D．feel upset

【小題2】In Paragraph 2, the writer implies that______

A．problems cause troubles	B．a(chǎn)ttitude is everything
C．challenges can be avoided	D．personalities are built on failures

【小題3】According to the last paragraph, when we're in trouble, we _______.

A．can only depend on our parents	B．a(chǎn)re not alone
C．should only believe ourselves	D．a(chǎn)re not confident

【小題4】Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A．Problems and challenges may help you know more about yourself.

B．People are able to avoid problems.

C．All problems are bad and negative.

D．You have to trust yourself and never turn to others for help.

【小題5】What’s the writer’ purpose to write the passage?

A．To explain

B．To compare

C．To prove

D．To encourage.

The dirty, homeless man sat on the pavement, staring at the stones. 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 traveled 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 of 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 colorful 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 I was struggling with cancer a few years ago, my wife and I formed our own “couple caution circle”. Anytime a doctor came with news of my progress, my wife would give me a big hug. The reports were seldom good during the early stages of my illness, and one day a doctor brought particularly frightening news. Staring at my reports, he said in a low voice, “It doesn’t look like you’re going to make it.”
Before I could ask him a question, my wife stood up, handed me my clothes, adjusted the tubes fastened to my body and said, “Let’s get out of here. This man is a risk to your health. ” As she helped me struggle to the door, the doctor came near us. “Stay back,” demanded my wife. “Stay away from us.”
As we walked together down the hall, the doctor attempted to catch up with us “Keep going,” said my wife, pushing the intravenous（靜脈注射的）stand. “We’re going to talk to someone who really knows what is going on.” Then she held up her hand to the doctor. “Don’t come any closer to us.”
The two of us moved as one. We escaped to the safety and hoped of a doctor who did not confuse diagnosis with conclusion. I could never have made that walk toward wellness alone.
【小題1】When hearing his progress, what did the author’s wife usually do?

A．She would give a present to the doctor.

B．She would keep quiet and cry.

C．She would not say anything about the progress.

D．She would give her husband a big hug.

【小題2】From the passage we know ________.

A．the wife’s decision in crisis contributed to the husband’s wellness

B．hearing that her husband was not going to make it, the wife went out of her mind

C．the husband was diagnosed with cancer by mistake

D．the husband became weaker and weaker as a result of the treatment conducted by the doctor

【小題3】What can be inferred from the passage? www.zxxk.com

A．The wife loved her husband very much.

B．The doctor was a dangerous man.

C．The wife was a woman hard to get along with.

D．The husband was a man who believed everything would be OK.

【小題4】What would be the best title for the passage?

A．A Happy Couple in Crisis	B．In Crisis, Become As One
C．Struggle with Cancer	D．Don’t Believe the Doctor

Iceland is a popular European tourist destination. Before you go there, it is good to learn some of the basic Iceland customs first.
Just like other countries in Europe, it is one of the customs in Iceland to shake hands and say “Hello”. Kissing each other’s cheeks is acceptable along with wishing each other a happy day.
Another custom is to take off your shoes in the hallway(走廊) when you enter someone’s home. Also, don’t be surprised if someone invites you to their house, since Icelanders love to have guests. Just make sure you take flowers or a similar token of thanks to give them.
If you have been invited to eat, keep in mind that you don’t need to express thanks before meals like the French or the Japanese. Rather, eat heartily and then thank your host afterwards by shaking his hand.
Keep in mind that believing in mysterious beings is part of the tradition in Iceland. Indeed, most of the unique and sometimes strange rock formations in Iceland are due to elves(小精靈), according to the people of Iceland.
Are you planning to spend Christmas in Iceland? If so, make sure you practice saying “Gleileg jol got tog fars!” first, which is the local Christmas greeting. It is part of the tradition in Iceland to have long Christmas holidays—26 days—longer than in any other European country. There are 13 Santa Clauses in Iceland, too!
There may not be a law requiring you to follow the customs, but there is no harm in doing so. Following them, you might be rewarded with a rich cultural experience and a more meaningful trip.
【小題1】 When you are invited to someone’s home in Iceland, you'd better do all of the following EXCEPT ______.

A．eating heartily and enjoying your time there

B．expressing your thanks to the host before you eat

C．taking some flowers or something else to the host

D．taking off shoes in the hallway before you enter the home

【小題2】Which of the following is one of the differences in customs between Iceland and France?

A．Shaking hands when greeting.

B．A 26-day-long Christmas holiday.

C．Saying hello when meeting each other.

D．Kissing each other’s cheeks when greeting.

【小題3】The text is mainly about ______.

A．what some of the customs in Iceland are like

B．why some of the customs in Iceland are special

C．how some of the customs in Iceland were formed

D．what some of the customs are like in Europe

【小題4】 In the text, the author aims to tell us that ______.

A．happiness is a form of courage

B．when in Rome, do as the Romans do

C．practice is the only path to knowledge

D．everyone has good and bad times in life

When you meet someone for the first time, you will form an impression in your mind of that person in the first moment. Your reactions to other people, however, are really just barometers (晴雨表) for how you perceive(理解) yourself. Your reactions to others say more about you than they do about others. You cannot really love or hate something about another unless it reflects something you love or hate yourself. We are usually drawn to those who are most like us and tend to dislike those who display those aspects of ourselves that we dislike.
Therefore, you can allow others to be the mirror to illuminate (闡明;照亮) more clearly your own feelings of self-worth. Conversely（相反地）, you can view the people you judge negatively as mirrors to show you what you are not accepting about yourself.
To survive together peacefully with others, you will need to learn tolerance. A big challenge is to shift your perspective from judgment of others to a lifelong exploration of yourself. Your task is to assess all the decisions, judgments you make onto others and to begin to view them as clues to how you can heal yourself and become whole.
Several days ago I had a business lunch with a man who displayed objectionable table manners. My first reaction was to judge him as rude and his table manners as annoying. When I noticed that I was judging him, I stopped and asked myself what I was feeling. I discovered that I was embarrassed to be seen with someone who was chewing with his mouth open and loudly blowing his nose. I was astonished to find how much I cared about how the other people in the restaurant perceived me.
Remember that your judgment of someone will not serve as a protective shield against you becoming like him. My judging my lunch partner as rude does not prevent me from ever looking or acting like him. In the same way, extending tolerance to him would not cause me to suddenly begin chewing my food with my mouth open.
When you approach life in this manner, those with whom you have the greatest dissatisfactions as well as those you admire and love can be seen as mirrors, guiding you to discover parts of yourself that you reject and to embrace your greatest quality. 
【小題1】We can know from the passage that the author advises people to _____________.

A．a(chǎn)void inappropriate manners.

B．learn tolerance towards others.

C．pay attention to others’ needs and feelings.

D．judge others favorably in any case.

【小題2】The underlined word “objectionable” in Paragraph 4 has the closest meaning to ____________.

A．discouraging

B．satisfying

C．unpleasant

D．a(chǎn)cceptable

【小題3】According to the passage, the following statements are all true except _____________.

A．You can’t really love or hate others if they are similar to you.

B．We are easily attracted by someone who is similar to us.

C．Our first judgment of a person mostly comes from our personal opinion.

D．The moment we see a stranger, our mind forms an impression of that person.

【小題4】Throughout the entire story, the last paragraph serves as a(n) ______________.

A．explanation

B．example

C．background

D．conclusion

【小題5】It can be implied from the text that ___________.

A．the writer’s first reaction to the man was to judge him as offensive

B．we will need to learn tolerance to coexist with others

C．we shouldn’t focus on judging others but should constantly reflect on our own

D．the writer didn’t care about other people’s view of him

Do you want to live with a strong sense of peacefulness, happiness, goodness, and self- respect? The collection of happiness actions broadly categorized as “honor” help you create this life of good feelings.
Here’s an example to show how honorable actions create happiness.
Say a store clerk fails to charge us for an item. If we keep silent, and profit from the clerk’s mistake, we would drive home with a sense of sneaky excitement. Later we might tell our family or friends about our good fortune. On the other hand, if we tell the clerk about the uncharged item, the clerk would be grateful and thank us for our honesty. We would leave the store with a quiet sense of honor that we might never share with another soul.
Then, what is it to do with our sense of happiness?
In the first case, where we don’t tell the clerk, a couple of things would happen. Deep down inside we would know ourselves as a type of thief. In the process, we would lose some peace of mind and self-respect. We would also demonstrate that we cannot lie trusted, since we advertise our dishonor by telling our family and friends. We damage our own reputations by telling others. In contrast, bringing the error to the clerk's attention causes different things to happen. Immediately the clerk knows us to be honorable. Upon leaving the store, we feel honorable and our self-respect is increased. Whenever we take honorable action we gain the deep internal rewards of goodness and a sense of nobility.
There is a beautiful positive cycle that is created by living a life of honorable actions. Honorable thoughts lead to honorable actions. Honorable actions lead us to a happier existence. And it’s easy to think and act honorably again when we're happy. While the positive cycle can be difficult to start, once it's started, it’s easy to continue. Keeping on doing good deeds brings us peace of mind, which is important for our happiness.
【小題1】According to the passage, the positive action in the example contributes to our___.

A．self-respect

B．financial rewards

C．a(chǎn)dvertising ability

D．friendly relationship

【小題2】The author thinks that keeping silent about the uncharged item is equal to___.

A．lying

B．stealing

C．cheating

D．a(chǎn)dvertising

【小題3】The phrase “bringing the error to the clerk’s attention”(in Para. 5) means___.

A．telling the truth to the clerk	B．offering advice to the clerk
C．a(chǎn)sking the clerk to be more attentive	D．reminding the clerk of the charged item

【小題4】How will we feel if we let the clerk know her mistake?

A．We’ll be very excited.	B．We’ll feel unfortunate.
C．We’ll have a sense of honor.	D．We’ll feel sorry for the clerk.

【小題5】Which of the following can be the best title of this passage?

A．How to Live Truthfully	B．Importance of Peacefulness
C．Ways of Gaining Self-respect	D．Happiness through Honorable Actions