(2013·高考山東卷，A)Jimmy is an automotive mechanic，but he lost his job a few months ago.He has a good heart，but always feared applying for a new job.
One day，he gathered up all his strength and decided to attend a job interview.His appointment was at 10 am and it was already 8：30.While waiting for a bus to the office where he was supposed to be interviewed，he saw an elderly man wildly kicking the tyre of his car.Obviously there was something wrong with the car.Jimmy immediately went up to lend him a hand.When Jimmy finished working on the car，the old man asked him how much he should pay for the service.Jimmy said there was no need to pay him；he just helped someone in need，and he had to rush for an interview.Then the old man said，“Well，I could take you to the office for your interview.It’s the least I could do.Please，I insist.”Jimmy agreed.
Upon arrival，Jimmy found a long line of applicants waiting to be interviewed.Jimmy still had some grease on him after the car repair，but he did not have much time to wash it off or have a change of shirt.One by one，the applicants left the interviewer’s office with disappointed looks on their faces.Finally his name was called.The interviewer was sitting on a large chair facing the office window.Rocking the chair back and forth，he asked，“Do you really need to be interviewed？”Jimmy’s heart sank.“With the way I look now，how could I possibly pass this interview？”he thought to himself.
Then the interviewer turned the chair and to Jimmy’s surprise，it was the old man he helped earlier in the morning.It turned out he was the General Manager of the company.
“Sorry I had to keep you waiting，but I was pretty sure I made the right decision to have you as part of our workforce before you even stepped into this office.I just know you’d be a trustworthy worker.Congratulations！”Jimmy sat down and they shared a cup of well­deserved coffee as he landed himself a new job.
【小題1】Why did Jimmy apply for a new job?

A．He was out of work.

B．He was bored with his job.

C．He wanted a higher position.

D．He hoped to find a better boss.

【小題2】What did Jimmy see on the way to the interview?

A．A friend’s car had a flat tyre.

B．A wild man was pushing a car.

C．A terrible car accident happened.

D．An old man’s car broke down.

【小題3】Why did the old man offer Jimmy a ride?

A．He was also to be interviewed.

B．He needed a travelling companion.

C．He always helped people in need.

D．He was thankful to Jimmy.

【小題4】How did Jimmy feel on hearing the interviewer’s question?

A．He was sorry for the other applicants.

B．There was no hope for him to get the job.

C．He regretted helping the old man.

D．The interviewer was very rude.

【小題5】What can we learn from Jimmy’s experience?

A．Where there’s a will，there’s a way.

B．A friend in need is a friend indeed.

C．Good is rewarded with good.

D．Two heads are better than one.

(2013·高考重慶卷，A)The morning had been a disaster.My tooth was aching，and I’d been in an argument with a friend.Her words still hurt：“The trouble with you is that you won’t put yourself in my place.Can’t you see things from my point of view？”I shook my head stubbornly－and felt the ache in my tooth.I’d thought I could hold out till my dentist came back from holiday，but the pain was really unbearable.I started calling the dentists in the phone book，but no one could see me immediately.Finally，at about lunchtime，I got lucky.
“If you come by right now，”the receptionist said，“the dentist will fit you in.”
I took my purse and keys and rushed to my car.But suddenly I began to doubt about the dentist.What kind of dentist would be so eager to treat someone at such short notice？Why wasn’t he as busy as the others?
In the dentist’s office，I sat down and looked around.I saw nothing but the bare walls and I became even more worried.The assistant noticed my nervousness and placed her warm hand over my ice­cold one.
When I told her my fears，she laughed and said，“Don’t worry.The dentist is very good.”
“How long do I have to wait for him？”I asked impatiently.
“Come on，he is coming.Just lie down and relax.And enjoy the artwork，”the assistant said.
“The artwork？”I was puzzled.
The chair went back.Suddenly I smiled.There was a beautiful picture，right where I could enjoy it：on the ceiling.How considerate the dentist was！At that moment，I began to understand what my friend meant by her words.
What a relief!
【小題1】Which of the following best describes the author’s feeling that morning?

A．Cheerful.	B．Nervous.
C．Satisfied.	D．Upset.

【小題2】What made the author begin to doubt about the dentist?

A．The dentist’s agreeing to treat her at very short notice.

B．The dentist’s being as busy as the other dentists.

C．The surroundings of the dentist’s office.

D．The laughing assistant of the dentist.

【小題3】Why did the author suddenly smile?

A．Because the dentist came at last.

B．Because she saw a picture on the ceiling.

C．Because she could relax in the chair.

D．Because the assistant kept comforting her.

【小題4】What did the author learn from her experience most probably?

A．Strike while the iron is hot.

B．Have a good word for one’s friend.

C．Put oneself in other’s shoes.

D．A friend in need is a friend indeed.

(2013·高考北京卷，B)Two dolphins race around in a big pool in the Ocean Park.The smaller dolphin，Grace，shows off a few of her tricks，turning around and waving hello to the crowd.The most amazing thing about her，however，is that she’s even swimming at all.She doesn’t have a tail.

Grace lost her tail as a baby when she got caught up in a fish trap.When the dolphin arrived at the Ocean Park in December 2005，she was fighting for her life.“Is she going to make it？”Her trainer，Abbey Stone，feared the worst.Grace did make it—but her tail didn’t.She ended up losing her flukes and the lower part of her peduncle.
Over the past six years，she has learned to swim without her tail.Dolphins swim by moving their flukes and peduncle up and down.Grace taught herself to move another way—like a fish! She pushed herself forward through the water by moving her peduncle from side to side.
The movements put harmful pressure on Grace’s backbone.So a company offered to create a man­made tail for her.The tail had to be strong enough to stay on Grace as she swam but soft enough that it wouldn’t hurt her.
The first time Grace wore the artificial tail，she soon shook it off and let it sink to the bottom of the pool.Now，she is still learning to use the tail.Some days she wears it for an hour at a time，others not at all.“The new tail isn’t necessary for her to feel comfortable，”says Stone，“but it helps to keep that range of motion (動(dòng)作) and build muscles (肌肉)．”
Now，the dolphin is about to get an even happier ending.This month，Grace will star in Dolphin Tale，a film that focuses on her rescue and recovery.Her progress has inspired more than just a new movie.Many people travel from near and far to meet her.Seeing Grace swim with her man­made tail gives people so much courage.
【小題1】When Grace first arrived at the Ocean Park，her trainer worried about her________.

A．physical build

B．potential ability

C．chance of survival

D．a(chǎn)daptation to the surroundings.

【小題2】A man­made tail is created for Grace to________.

A．let her recover faster

B．make her comfortable

C．a(chǎn)djust her way of swimming

D．help her perform better tricks

【小題3】The story of Grace inspires people to________.

A．stick to their dreams

B．treat animals friendly

C．treasure what they have

D．face difficulties bravely

The breaking news of Mo Yan's Nobel Prize in Literature on Thursday evening soon aroused public curiosity of the 57­year­old Chinese writer: Why was it him that was favored by the Swedish Academy?
Born in 1955 into a rural family，Mo dropped out of school and became a farmer when he was a teenager.He joined the military and devoted himself to writing after the Cultural Revolution (1966－1976)．
Less than half an hour after the announcement，Mo's works turned to sold­out status at China's major online book sellers.One lucky buyer wrote in an online comment: “Rushed to purchase，but to my shame，I have not read any of his novels.”
Although Mo was entitled one of the top domestic literature awards before the Nobel Prize，he is not the most popular novelist in China，in either the book market or in reputation.
Mo's novel “Big Breasts & Wide Hips，” translated by Howard Goldblatt，tells a story of a mother who struggled and suffered hardship and intertwined fates with Chinese people in the 20th century.His more recent work “Frog” more directly criticized China's one­child family policy，which helped control the country's population explosion but also brought tragedies to rural residents in the past 60 years.
“I think the reason why I could win the prize is because my works present lives with unique Chinese characteristics，and they also tell stories from a viewpoint of common human beings，which is above differences of nations and races，” Mo said on Thursday evening to Chinese journalists.Mo also said many folk arts originated from his hometown，such as clay sculpture，paper cuts，traditional new year paintings，have inspired and influenced his novels.
With more Chinese writers like Mo，the world could learn a more real China.Perhaps，this is another reason for the Swedish Academy's choice.
【小題1】What can we conclude from the second paragraph?

A．Mo's life experiences.	B．Mo's family life.
C．Mo devoted himself to writing.	D．Mo had a gift for writing.

【小題2】What can we infer from the passage?

A．Mo didn't got any national awards before he won the Nobel Prize.

B．Mo was the top novelist in China before he won the Nobel Prize.

C．Mo's novels have attracted many people to read.

D．Mo's novels are all based on his daily life.

【小題3】Which of the following have no effect on Mo's novels according to the passage?

A．Clay sculpture.	B．Paper cuts.
C．Folk arts.	D．Beijing opera.

【小題4】According to the passage，we know that________．

A．Big Breasts & Wide Hips' leading role is one happy mother

B．Big Breasts & Wide Hips criticized China's one­child family policy

C．Frog came out earlier than Big Breasts & Wide Hips

D．Frog shows benefit as well as shortcoming of one China's policy

A nameless British millionaire is currently putting people to the test by handing out ￡1，000 to those he randomly meets in the street.All he'd ask is that they'd do something positive with the cash.The reactions are varied，from the surprised to the suspicious to the simply delighted.He has given away close to ￡100，000 to people he has met around the world.He hands those that he chooses a card explaining his project and allows them 48 hours to get in touch.
“Mr.Lucky” is from London，in his late thirties and appears wearing rolled－up jeans and with a camera around his neck.Working for an insurance company abroad，he earned his fortune and resigned last year after having realized he had more money than he knew what to do with.
“I once booked myself a flight into space；I thought I'd fulfill my childhood dream.Then I told my friends and when the conversation changed to what they would do if they had that amount of money，I felt embarrassed.Their ideas were much more generous，interesting and responsible than mine，” said Mr.Lucky.After canceling his space flight and struggling to choose a worthy cause for his cash，he decided to set up the WeAreLucky project.“I didn't want to just pass on my luck；I also wanted to share the responsibility.I decided to give away ￡1，000 every day.I'd asked the receivers to fill in a brief questionnaire to explain their intentions in using the money.”
But is handing over the responsibility to others really a responsible thing to do? How does he know the money will be used properly? “I'm not going to judge or start checking up on them.Sometimes what we need to do is just believing others，” he said with nearly child­like enthusiasm.
【小題1】How do people feel when offered ￡1，000 by “Mr.Lucky”？

A．Shocked.	B．Cheerful.
C．Embarrassed.	D．Stressful.

【小題2】How did Mr.Lucky get so much money？

A．Flying into space.

B．Giving out some questionnaires to people.

C．Setting up a web site.

D．Working in an insurance company.

【小題3】Which conclusion can be drawn from the third paragraph?

A．What Mr.Lucky dreamed in his teens is to fly into space.

B．What Mr.Lucky wants to do is to pass on his fortune.

C．Why Mr.Lucky decided to set up the WeAreLucky.

D．Why Mr.Lucky changed the way he spent money.

【小題4】Why did Mr.Lucky hand out his money?

A．He was easy－going and rich.

B．He wanted to help the poor.

C．He believed people could use it properly.

D．He needed people to share his responsibility.

Going green seems to be a fad(時(shí)尚)for a lot of people these days.Whether that is good or bad，we can’t really say，but for the two of us，going green is not a fad but a lifestyle.
On April 22,2011，we decided to go green every single day for an entire year.This meant doing 365 different green things，and it also meant challenging ourselves to go green beyond the easy things.Rather than recycle and reduce our energy，we had to think of 365 different green things to do and this was no easy task.
With the idea of going green every single day for a year，Our Green Year started.My wife and I decided to educate people about how they could go green in their lives and hoped we could show people all the green things that could be done to help the environment.We wanted to push the message that every little bit helps.
Over the course of Our Green Year，we completely changed our lifestyles.We now shop at organic(有機(jī)的)stores.We consume less meat，choosing green food.We have greatly reduced our buying we don’t need.We have given away half of what we owned through websites.Our home is kept clean by vinegar and lemon juice，with no chemical cleaners.We make our own butter，enjoying the smell of home­made fresh bread.In our home office anyone caught doing something ungreen might be punished.
Our minds have been changed by Our Green Year.We are grateful for the chance to have been able to go green and educate others.We believe that we do have the power to change things and help our planet.
【小題1】What might be the best title for the passage?

A．Going Green

B．Protecting the Planet

C．Keeping Open­Minded

D．Celebrating Our Green Year

【小題2】It was difficult for the couple to live a green life for the whole year because________.

A．they were expected to follow the green fad

B．they didn’t know how to educate other people

C．they were unwilling to reduce their energy

D．they needed to perform unusual green tasks

【小題3】What did the couple do over the course of Our Green Year?

A．They tried to get out of their ungreen habits.

B．They ignored others’ ungreen behavior.

C．They chose better chemical cleaners.

D．They sold their home­made food.

【小題4】What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．The government will give support to the green project.

B．The couple may continue their project in the future.

C．Some people disagree with the couple’s green ideas.

D．Our Green Year is becoming a national campaign.

Poet William Stafford once said that we are defined more by the detours (繞行路) in life than by the narrow road toward goals.I like this image.But it was quite by accident that I discovered the deep meaning of his words.
For years we made the long drive from our home in Seattle to my parents’ home in Boise in nine hours.We traveled the way most people do：the fastest，shortest，easiest road，especially when I was alone with four noisy，restless kids who hate confinement (限制) and have strong opinions about everything.
Road trips felt risky，so I would drive fast，stopping only when I had to.We would stick to the freeways and arrive tired.
But then Banner，our lamb was born.He was rejected by his mama days before our planned trip to Boise.I had two choices：leave Banner with my husband，or take him with me.My husband made the decision for me.
That is how I found myself on the road with four kids，a baby lamb and nothing but my everlasting optimism to see me through.We took the country roads out of necessity.We had to stop every hour，let Banner shake out his legs and feed him.The kids chased him and one another.They’d get back in the car breathless and energized，smelling fresh from the cold air.
We explored side roads，catching grasshoppers in waist­high grass.Even if we simply looked out of the car windows at baby pigs following their mother，or fish leaping out of the water，it was better than the best ride down the freeway.Here was life.And new horizons (見識(shí))．
We eventually arrived at my parents’ doorstep astonishingly fresh and full of stories.
I grew brave with the trip back home and creative with my disciplining technique.On an empty section of road，everyone started quarreling.I stopped the car，ordered all kids out and told them to meet me up ahead.I parked my car half a mile away and read my book in sweet silence.
Some road trips are by necessity fast and straight.But that trip with Banner opened our eyes to a world available to anyone adventurous enough to wander around and made me realize that a detour may uncover the best part of a journey－and the best part of yourself.
【小題1】Why did the author use to take freeways to her parents’home?

A．It was less tiring.

B．It would be faster and safer.

C．Her kids would feel less confined.

D．She felt better with other drivers nearby.

【小題2】The author stopped regularly on the country roads to________.

A．relax in the fresh air

B．take a deep breath

C．take care of the lamb

D．let the kids play with Banner

【小題3】What does the author discover from the trip according to Paragraph 6?

A．Freeways are where beauty hides.

B．Getting close to nature adds to the joy of life.

C．Enjoying the beauty of nature benefits one’s health.

D．One should follow side roads to watch wild animals.

【小題4】Why did the author ask the kids to get out of the car on their way back home?

A．To give herself some time to read.

B．To order some food for them.

C．To play a game with them.

D．To let them cool down.

【小題5】What could be the best title for the passage?

A．Charm of the Detour

B．The Road to Bravery

C．Creativity out of Necessity

D．Road Trip and Country Life

Doctors are known to be terrible pilots.They don’t listen because they already know it all.I was lucky：Ⅰ became a pilot in 1970，almost ten years before I graduated from medical school.I didn’t realize then，but becoming a pilot makes me a better surgeon.I loved flying.As I flew bigger，faster planes，and in worse weather，I learned about crew resource management (機(jī)組資源管理)，or CRM，a new idea to make flying safer.It means that crew members should listen and speak up for a good result，regardless of positions.
I first read about CRM in 1980.Not long after that，an attending doctor and I were flying in bad weather.The controller had us turn too late to get our landing ready.The attending doctor was flying；I was safety pilot.He was so busy because of the bad turn，he had forgotten to put the landing gear (起落架) down.He was a better pilot－and my boss － so it felt unusual to speak up.But I had to：Our lives were in danger.I put aside my uneasiness and said，“We need to put the landing gear down now！” That was my first real lesson in the power of CRM，and I’ve used it in the operating room ever since.
CRM requires that the pilot/surgeon encourage others to speak up.It further requires that when opinions are from the opposite，the doctor doesn’t overreact，which might prevent fellow doctors from voicing opinions again.So when I’m in the operating room，I ask for ideas and help from others.Sometimes they’re not willing to speak up.But I hope that if I continue to encourage them，someday someone will keep me from “landing_gear_up”．
【小題1】What does the author say about doctors in general?

A．They like flying by themselves.

B．They are unwilling to take advice.

C．They pretend to be good pilots.

D．They are quick learners of CRM.

【小題2】The author deepened his understanding of the power of CRM when________.

A．he saved the plane by speaking up

B．he was in charge of a flying task

C．his boss landed the plane too late

D．his boss operated on a patient

【小題3】In the last paragraph “l(fā)anding gear up” probably means ________.

A．following flying requirements

B．overreacting to different opinions

C．listening to what fellow doctors say

D．making a mistake that may cost lives

【小題4】Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．CRM：A New Way to Make Flying Safe

B．Flying Makes Me a Better Doctor

C．The Making of a Good Pilot

D．A Pilot­Tumed Doctor

When 19­year­old Sophia Giorgi said she was thinking of volunteering to help the Make­A­Wish Foundation (基金會(huì))，nobody understood what she was talking about.But Sophia knew just how important Make­A­Wish could be because this special organization had helped to make a dream come true for one of her best friends.We were interested in finding out more，so we went along to meet Sophia and listen to what she had to say.
Sophia told us that Make­A­Wish is a worldwide organization that started in the United States in 1980.“It’s a charity(慈善機(jī)構(gòu))that helps children who have got very serious illnesses.Make­A­Wish helps children feel happy even though they are sick，by making their wishes and dreams come true，”Sophia explained.
We asked Sophia how Make­A­Wish had first started.She said it had all begun with a very sick young boy called Chris，who had been dreaming for a long time of becoming a policeman.Sophia said lots of people had wanted to find a way to make Chris’s dream come true－so，with everybody’s help，Chris，only seven years old at the time，had been a“policeman”for a day.“When people saw how delighted Chris was when his dream came true，they decided to try and help other sick children too，and that was the beginning of Make­A­Wish，”explained Sophia.
Sophia also told us the Foundation tries to give children and their families a special，happy time.A Make­A­Wish volunteer visits the families and asks the children what they would wish for if they could have anything in the world.Sophia said the volunteers were important because they were the ones who helped to make the wishes come true.They do this either by providing things that are necessary，or by raising money or helping out in whatever way they can.
【小題1】Sophia found out about Make­A­Wish because her best friend had________.

A．benefited from it

B．volunteered to help it

C．dreamed about it

D．told the author about it

【小題2】According to Sophia，Make­A­Wish________.

A．is an international charity

B．was understood by nobody at first

C．raises money for very poor families

D．started by drawing the interest of the public

【小題3】What is said about Chris in Paragraph 3?

A．He has been a policeman since he was seven.

B．He gave people the idea of starting Make­A­Wish.

C．He wanted people to help make his dream come true.

D．He was the first child Make­A­Wish helped after it had been set up.

【小題4】Which of the following is true about Make­A­Wish volunteers?

A．They are important for making wishes come true.

B．They try to help children get over their illnesses.

C．They visit sick children to make them feel special.

D．They provide what is necessary to make Make­A­Wish popular.

Some years ago，writing in my diary used to be a usual activity.I would return from school and spend the expected half hour recording the day’s events，feelings，and impressions in my little blue diary.I did not really need to express my emotions by way of words，but I gained a certain satisfaction from seeing my experiences forever recorded on paper.After all，isn’t accumulating memories a way of preserving the past?
When I was thirteen years old，I went on a long journey on foot in a great valley，well­equipped with pens，a diary，and a camera.During the trip，I was busy recording every incident，name and place I came across.I felt proud to be spending my time productively，dutifully preserving for future generations a detailed description of my travels.On my last night there，I wandered out of my tent，diary in hand.The sky was clear and lit by the glare of the moon，and the walls of the valley looked threatening behind their screen of shadows.I automatically took out my pen...
At that point，I understood that nothing I wrote could ever match or replace the few seconds I allowed myself to experience the dramatic beauty of the valley.All I remembered of the previous few days were the dull characterizations I had set down in my diary.
Now，I only write in my diary when I need to write down a special thought or feeling.I still love to record ideas and quotations that strike me in books，or observations that are particularly meaningful.I take pictures，but not very often－only of objects I find really beautiful.I’m no longer blindly satisfied with having something to remember when I grow old.I realize that life will simply pass me by if I stay behind the camera，busy preserving the present so as to live it in the future.
I don’t want to wake up one day and have nothing but a pile of pictures and notes.Maybe I won’t have as many exact representations of people and places；maybe I’ll forget certain facts，but at least the experiences will always remain inside me.I don’t live to make memories－I just live，and the memories form themselves.
【小題1】Before the age of thirteen，the author regarded keeping a diary as a way of________.

A．observing her school routine

B．expressing her satisfaction

C．impressing her classmates

D．preserving her history

【小題2】What caused a change in the author’s understanding of keeping a diary?

A．A dull night on the journey.

B．The beauty of the great valley.

C．A striking quotation from a book.

D．Her concerns for future generations.

【小題3】What does the author put in her diary now?

A．Notes and beautiful pictures.

B．Special thoughts and feelings.

C．Detailed accounts of daily activities.

D．Descriptions of unforgettable events.

【小題4】The author comes to realize that to live a meaningful life is________.

A．to experience it

B．to live the present in the future

C．to make memories

D．to give accurate representations of it