One spring, when I was 10, during one of my father’s layoffs, I could tell my mother was unhappy. I decided to cheer her up by buying her a special Mother’s Day gift.
One day after school I rode my bike to the Agins, which, I learned years later, was known for its high-end fashions and style. I introduced myself to Sylvia Agins, telling her I was looking for a Mother’s Day present.
“Do you think she’d like a purse?” she asked. “I think she might.” I told her.
She took out an Italian handbag made of leather. She asked me what I thought, and I told her that my mom would like it.
“How much money do you have?” she asked.
“Twelve dollars,” I said.
“You’re in luck,” she told me. “It’s only $11. You have a dollar left over for the card.” She wrapped the purse and thanked me for my business, and I rode off home with the package under my arm.
When my mother opened the gift the next Sunday morning, she asked in an accusing tone, “Where did you get this?”
“I bought it at the Agins. It cost me $11.” I said.
My mother was shocked into silence.
It wasn’t until many years later, when I learned that the purse was worth several hundred dollars, that I appreciated just how wonderful Sylvia Agins had been to me. I always felt regretful that I never had a chance to properly thank her.
“You know, my son, what really amazes me to this day,” my mother said. “Letting you have the purse for just a few dollars was unbelievable enough. But the fact that she let you leave the store with a dollar for the card was a touch of kindness that I’ll never forget.”
【小題1】The author bought his mother a purse to_________.

A．surprise his mother	B．make his mother happy
C．show his ability of making money	D．thank his mother for buying him a bike

【小題2】Why was the author’s mother shocked into silence?

A．The purse was bought from the Agins.

B．She wasn’t expecting a gift from her son.

C．The author bought a card to go with the purse.

D．The Agins charged so little money for the purse.

【小題3】Sylvia Agins’ behavior shows that_________.

A．she is critical and mean	B．she is kind and thoughtful
C．she is good at making money	D．she knows how to choose presents

【小題4】What amazed the mother most was that_________.

A．the shop owner left one dollar for her son to buy a card

B．her son bought her a beautiful purse on Mother’s day

C．her son rode his bike to buy things by himself

D．the purse was worth several hundred dollars

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

A．An Unforgettable Event	B．A Considerate Mother
C．A Priceless Mother’s Day Gift	D．A Clever Shop Owner

There was once a professor of medicine, who was very strict with the students. Whenever he took the chair on the exam committee, the students would be in fear, because he was seldom pleased with the answers they gave. A student would be lucky enough if he or she could receive a good mark from him. At the end of the term, the students of medicine would take their exam again. Now a student entered the exam room and got seated before the committee. This student was a little nervous as he knew it would not be so easy to get through the exam at all.
The professor began to ask. The student was required to describe a certain illness, his description of which turned out to be OK.
　　Then the professor asked about the cure (藥劑) for illness, and the student, too, answered just as right.
“Good,” said the professor, “ and how much will you give the patient?”
“A full spoon”, answered the student.
“Now you may go out and wait for what you can get.”, said the professor. At the same time, the committee discussed carefully the answers the student had given. Suddenly the student noticed that there was something wrong with his last answer. “ A full spoon is too much,” he thought to himself. Anxiously he opened the door of the room and cried, “Mr Professor, I’ve make a mistake! A full spoon is too much for a patient. He can take only five drops.”
“I’m sorry, sir.” Said the professor coldly, “But it’s too late. Your patient has died.
【小題1】The students were afraid of the professor because_________.

A．they often angered and disappointed him

B．their answers often astonished him

C．their answers seldom satisfied him

D．he often misunderstood(誤解) them and give them bad marks

【小題2】The student’s description of the illness was _____.

A．not correct

B．not satisfied

C．completely discouraging

D．a(chǎn)ccepted.

【小題3】Before he left the room the student was almost sure that ______.

A．he had passed the exam, and the only thing was to wait for the mark

B．his last answer was satisfying

C．he had made a mistake

D．he had not done well in the exam.

【小題4】Which of the following is Not true?

A．The patient will be in danger if he’s taken as much as a full spoon.

B．The doctor will be in trouble if he’s given the patient a full spoon.

C．Since one spoon is less than five drops, the patient will be all right soon if he takes only one full spoon at a time.

D．If the patient wants to remain safe, he should take no more than five drops at a time.

【小題5】Which guess is the most reasonable from the passage?

A．The student must have passed the exam.

B．The student may not have passed the exam.

C．The student must have been very happy when he heard, “Your patient has died.”

D．The professor must have been very pleased and given the student a good mark.

Mark and his brother Jason both were looking at the shining new computer enviously. Jason was determined not to go against their father’s wishes but Mark was more adventurous than his brother. He loves experimenting and his aim was to become a scientist like his father.
“Dad will be really mad if he finds out you’ve been playing with his new computer” Jason said, “He told us not to touch it.”
“He won’t find out,” Mark said, “I’ll just have a quick look and shut it down.”
Mark had been scolded before for touching his father’s equipment. But his curiosity was difficult to control and this new computer really puzzled him.
It was a strange-looking machine — one his dad had brought home from the laboratory where he worked. “It’s an experimental model,” his father had explained, “so don’t touch it under any circumstances.” But his father’s warning only served to make Mark more curious. Without any further thought, Mark turned on the power switch. The computer burst into life and seconds later, the screen turned into colours, shifting and changing, and then two big white words appeared in the centre of the screen: “SPACE TRANSPORTER.”
“Yes!” Mark cried excitedly, “It’s a computer game. I knew it! Dad’s only been pretending to work. He’s really been playing games instead!” A new message appeared on the screen:
“ENTER NAMES
VOYAGE�。�
VOYAGE�。�
Mark’s finger flew across the keyboard as he typed in both of their names.
“INPUT ACCEPTED.
START  TRANSPORT  PROGRAM.
AUTO-RETRIEVE  INITIATED(自動回收程序已啟動).”
The screen turned even brighter and a noise suddenly rose in volume.
“I think we’d better shut it off, Mark,” Jason yelled out in terror, reaching for the power switch. A beam(光束) of dazzling white light burst out of the computer screen, wrapping the boys in its glow(光芒)，until they themselves seemed to be glowing. Then it died down just as suddenly as it had burst into life. And the boys were no longer there. On the screen, the letters changed：
“TRANSPORT SUCCESSFUL．
DESTINATION:  MARS.
RETRIEVE DATE:  2025
【小題1】 Why did Mark touch the computer against his father’s warning?

A．He wanted to take a voyage.

B．He was so much attracted by it.

C．He was eager to do an experiment.

D．He wanted to practice his skills.

【小題2】Where did the boy’s father most likely work?

A．In a scientific research center.

B．In a computer company.

C．In an electronic factory.

D．In an information processing center.

【小題3】Mark thought “SPACE TRANSPORTER” on the screen was the name of ________.

A．a(chǎn) software producer

B．a(chǎn) company website

C．a(chǎn)n astronomy program

D．a(chǎn) computer game

【小題4】. What is the most possible reason for Jason to shut off the computer?

A．He was afraid of being scolded.

B．He didn’t like the loud noise and light.

C．He didn’t want to play games.

D．He was afraid something dangerous might happen.

【小題5】What happened to the boys at the end of the story?

A．They were hidden in the strong light.

B．They were sent to another planet.

C．They were blown into the air.

D．They were carried away to another country.

It was terribly cold and nearly dark on the last evening of the old year, and the snow was falling fast. In the cold and the darkness, a poor little girl, with bare head and naked feet, wandered through the streets. It is true she had on a pair of slippers when she left home, but they were not of much use. They were very large, so large, indeed, that they had belonged to her mother, and the poor girl had lost them in running across the street to avoid two carriages that were rolling along at a terrible rate. One of the slippers she could not find, and a boy seized upon the other and ran away with it. So the little girl went on with her little naked feet, which were quite red and blue with the cold. In an old apron she carried a number of matches, and had a bunch of them in her hands. No one had bought anything of her the whole day, nor had any one given her even a penny.
Lights were shining from every window, and there was a delicious smell of roast goose, for it was New-year’s eve—yes, she remembered that. In a corner, between two houses, one of which projected beyond the other, she sank down and huddled（蜷縮）herself together. She had drawn her little feet under her, but she could not keep off the cold; and she dared not go home, for she had sold no matches, and could not take home even a penny of money. Her father would certainly beat her; besides, it was almost as cold at home as here.
【小題1】The story happened ________.

A．on New-year Day	B．on Christmas
C．on a rainy evening	D．on a snowy night

【小題2】From the passage we can learn that the little girl’s father ______.

A．is cruel to her

B．is kind to her

C．is patient with her

D．is popular with her

【小題3】How did the little girl feel in the passage?

A．Doubtful.

B．Hopeless.

C．Confident.

D．Stressful.

【小題4】The passage is probably taken from _____.

A．a(chǎn)n essay

B．a(chǎn) lecture

C．a(chǎn) story

D．a(chǎn) poem

I decided to have dinner in the hotel, for I arrived late one night on a business trip. As I was finishing my meal, an elderly couple came in to dine. They were holding hands and had lovely smiles on their faces. They sat three tables from me. I was amazed at the love they showed for each other. It seemed to strike home all the more, because it was shortly after ending a 20-year marriage and I still had pain in my heart.
My waiter was also their waiter. As I paid my bill, I inquired as to what their bill was. He informed me, and I gave him $40 to pay their bill.  He asked if I knew them and I told him "No, I just wanted to repay them for the love that they were showing to each other," and then I departed.
The next day I entered the restaurant to dine before my departure. After I had been seated, the waiter who served me the night before told me that the strangest thing happened after I left the restaurant. 
When the elderly couple went to pay for their meal, they were informed that it had been paid. When they inquired who had done this, the hostess told them they had no idea who I was, just retelling what I said.
The couple were amazed. They looked around, asked for the bill of two young couples who were seated together, paid their bill and departed, saying "Love begets(產(chǎn)生) Love" to the amazement of the hostess and waiter.
I smiled and said "That's nice," and proceeded to order my meal.
About 45 minutes later, I finished my meal and was about to head out, but my waiter was nowhere to be found. I waited and waited and finally walked over to the hostess stand and explained that I needed to pay for my meal and hurry to the airport. She smiled and explained that I would not have to pay for my meal, because both the waiter and she felt compelled to pay my bill due to the joy that was brought to the faces of the elderly couple and the amazement of the young couples.
When I told her that they didn't have to do that, she said with a smile "Love begets Love."
【小題1】The writer’s purpose of writing the passage is to            . 

A．suggest love never dies

B．share an interesting experience

C．encourage us to help people in need

D．prove a show of love really makes a difference

【小題2】Why did the elderly couple pay the bill of the two young couples? 

A．Because they were always ready to help poor people.

B．Because they were happy to pass the love they gained.

C．Because they invited the young people to the meal.

D．Because they didn’t want to take the advantage of the writer’s generosity.

【小題3】What can be inferred from the story?

A．The love between the elderly couple deeply touched the writer who was single.

B．The young couples paid the bill of other customers in the restaurant.

C．The waiter left on purpose and made the writer stay alone to test him.

D．The writer did all this to prove his belief in love.

【小題4】Which of the following proverbs can best explain the theme of the story?

A．A good beginning makes a good ending.

B．Where there is love, there is life.

C．Love me, love my dog.

D．As a man sows, so shall he reap (收獲).

Nanjing-style paper cutting is an important part of Chinese paper cutting. It is known for its different designs, simplistic but graceful shapes, finely cut lines and unique skills. Zhang Fanglin is a leading figure in the Nanjing-style paper cutting. Zhang was born in a paper-cutting family. He is the fourth generation to continue the family’s paper-cutting skills. Taught by his father, he began to learn paper cutting in his childhood. In 1963 when he was only 14 years old, he started his artistic career in a local folk handicraft factory. Over the past decades, Zhang has created many works and developed excellent skills. In 1985, Zhang was admitted into Nanjing Municipal Fine Arts Company, creating and designing paper cuts. Throughout his artistic career, Zhang has absorbed characteristics and elements（元素）of various styles of paper cutting and created a large number of creative paper-cutting works. Thanks to his great contributions, he won many national prizes and was awarded the title of “National Master Artist in Handicraft Art”.
As a leading figure, Zhang Fanglin has been invited to more than 30 countries and regions around the world, showcasing his paper-cutting skills. In the 2010 Shanghai World Expo, Zhang showcased his new creations of gold foil-embedded paper cutting works.
【小題1】What is the passage mainly about?

A．Chinese paper cutting.	B．Nanjing-style paper cutting.
C．A paper cutting family.	D．A paper cutting artist.

【小題2】How old was Zhang Fanglin when he was admitted into Nanjing Municipal Fine Arts Company?

A．36.

B．14.

C．22.

D．18.

【小題3】What can we infer from the passage?

A．Nanjing-style paper cutting is the most important part of Chinese paper cutting.

B．Zhang is a creative artist who knows different styles of paper cutting well.

C．Zhang won many international prizes because of his great contributions.

D．All the members of the family taught Zhang how to design paper cuts.

When I was at University I studied very hard. But a lot of my friends did very little work. Some did just enough to pass exams. Others didn’t do quite enough. Fred Baines was one of them. He spent more time playing than working in the library.
Once at the end of the term, we had to take an important test in chemistry. The test had a hundred questions. Beside each question we had to write “True” or “False”. While I was studying in my room the night before the test, Fred was watching TV. Fred usually worried a lot the night before a test. But on that night he looked perfectly calm. Then he told me of his plan. “It’s very simple. There are a hundred questions and I have to get fifty correct to pass the test. I’ll just toss（擲）the coin to decide the answers. That way, I’m sure I’ll get half the questions right.”
The next day, Fred came happily into the exam room. As he sat tossing a coin for half an hour he marked down his answers. Then he left, half an hour before the rest of us.
The next day, he saw the chemistry professor in the corridor. “Oh, good,” he said to the teacher, “Have you got the result of the test?” The teacher reached into his pocket and took out a coin. He threw it into the air, caught it in his hand and looked at it.
“I’m terribly sorry, Fred,” he said, “You failed!”
【小題1】This story mainly wants to tell us           .

A．chemistry is really hard to learn

B．there are many questions for students to prepare.

C．good exam results really need studying hard

D．tossing a coin can not always decide the result

【小題2】Fred Baines was one of those who          .

A．did just enough to pass an exam

B．didn’t work hard enough for their studies

C．had more important work to do than study

D．were quite good at passing exams

【小題3】 Fred came happily into the exam room because           .

A．he had got ready for the exam

B．he knew the answers already

C．one excellent student would help him

D．he had his special way to finish the exam

【小題4】Which of the following about the chemistry exam is TRUE?

A．The chemisty exam was not very difficult at all.

B．It in fact took an hour to finish the chemisty exam

C．The chemisty exam had more than one hundred questions.

D．The chemisty exam needed to be done by tossing a coin.

【小題5】The professor tossed a coin to tell Baines that          .

A．he was satisfied with Baines’ way for the exam

B．he wanted to make friends with Baines

C．Baines’ way for the exam would never work

D．the exam result depended on the coin

　Once a great boxer （拳擊家）, Tom Brown, went to a restaurant（飯館）for dinner. He put his bag near the door, but he was afraid that someone would take it. So he got out a pen and a piece of paper and wrote on it: “The great boxer, Tom Brown, left his bag here. He’ll come back in a few minutes. ” He put the paper on his bag and went to have his dinner. When he came back, his bag wasn’t there. But he found a piece of paper on the ground. It said: “A great runner took away your bag, and he will not come back. ”
【小題1】Tom Brown went to the restaurant ________.

A．for his bag	B．to see the runner
C．to have his meal	D．for his pen

【小題2】Mr Brown was afraid ________.

A．to put down his bag near the door

B．he couldn’t find his pen

C．thieves would take his bag away

D．he couldn’t get enough food himself from the restaurant

【小題3】Mr Brown wrote the words on the paper because he ________.

A．thought the thief would not steal （偷） his bag when he read the words

B．was a boxer

C．wanted to catch the thief

D．wanted to get to know the runner

【小題4】When Mr Brown came back he ________.

A．found another piece of paper on the ground

B．found his bag wasn’t there

C．both A and B

D．saw the runner running after him

【小題5】Which is not right?

A．Mr Brown was foolish．

B．The runner was a thief.

C．The runner made a joke on Mr Brown.

D．The boxer didn’t know the runner at all.

Growing up, I knew I was different. My father had left and he never came back. As I later discovered, the abandonment triggered my anxiety attacks. I feared being alone, unwanted, unpopular, and unloved.
My first attack came in a ninth-grade class: The teacher asked me to walk in front of the class, but I couldn't do it- I was soaked in sweat, shaking. My symptoms began every morning from the moment when I stepped inside the school building.
Throughout my childhood, I was no stranger to the doctor's office. My mother tried everything she could in hope of a breakthrough. There were times I thought suicide could be the only way to make the pain stop.
By age 16, I had shut down socially. Most of my peers were going to parties, playing sports, and dating. But I was a prisoner in my own home.
Then one Sunday morning, my wake-up call came from a magazine article. Freddie Prinze, Jr. was on the cover. The article detailed the pain of losing his father at a young age. I felt as though I were reading my own life story. The only difference? He was now a success.
That article inspired me to explore a new treatment option for myself. I wanted to turn my life around as well. So I hit the library and the Internet, and I began to realize how my negative thoughts controlled my physical well-being.
Immediately, I made a plan to take charge of my life. Shortly after following the items I had listed, I was able to stop seeing a therapist. I never returned to high school, but I did go to college. After graduation, I pursued a career in television news. My relationships have changed for the better, too. I've made new friends and reconnected with many from my past
The anxiety isn't completely gone, but whenever it returns, I know the feeling will pass, and know I have the power to change my life, only if I will give myself a chance.
【小題1】The writer's anxiety attacks were mainly caused by         .

A．the high school which he attended	B．the teacher who asked him to walk
C．the writer himself who was fearful	D．the father who left in his childhood

【小題2】The breakthrough of the writer's treatment came when________.

A．the mother took him to the doctor	B．the writer read a magazine article
C．the writer's pain finally stopped	D．the writer went to college

【小題3】What did the writer do after following the plan?

A．He went to see therapists.	B．He returned to high school.
C．He contacted his old friends.	D．He didn't suffer any attacks.

【小題4】The writer wrote this story to tell us________.

A．a(chǎn)nxiety attacks are not lasting if we have proper treatment

B．we shouldn't keep ourselves away from the outside world

C．we can change our lives if we give ourselves a chance

D．fathers are not supposed to abandon their small kids

There was great excitement on the planet of Venus (金星) . Venusian scientists managed to land a satellite on the planet Earth, and it has been sending back signals as well as photographs ever since.
The satellite was directed into an area known as Manhattan, named after the great Venusian astronomer Professor. Manhattan, who first discovered it with his telescope 20000 light years ago.
Because of excellent weather conditions and extremely strong signals, Venusian scientists were able to get valuable information as to feasibility (可行性) of a manned flying saucer landing on Earth. A press conference was held at the Venus Institute of Technology.
"We have come to the conclusion, based on last week's satellite landing," Prof. Zog said, "that there is no life on Earth."
"How do you know this?" the science reporter of the Venus Evening Star asked.
"For one thing, Earth's surface in the area of Manhattan is made up of solid concrete and nothing can grow there. For another, the atmosphere is filled with carbon monoxide (一氧化碳) and other deadly gases and nobody could possibly breathe this air and survive."
"What does this mean as far as our flying saucer program is concerned?"
"We shall have to take our own oxygen with us, which means a much heavier flying saucer than originally planned."
"Are there any other dangers that you discovered in your studies?"
"Take a look at this photo. You see this dark black cloud hovering (盤旋) over the surface of Earth? We don't know what it is made of, but it could give us a lot of trouble and we shall have further tests before we send a Venus Being there."
"Over here you will notice what seems to be a river, but the satellite findings indicates it is polluted and the water is unfit to drink. This means we shall have to carry our own water, which will add even greater weight to the saucer."
"If all you say is true, won't this set back the flying saucer program several years?"
"Yes, but we shall continue as soon as the Grubstart gives us the added funds(資金)." Profession. Zog replied.
【小題1】According to the passage, the Venusian scientists succeeded in getting important information about _____.

A．the feasibility of landing a satellite on Earth

B．the possibility of making a first-rate flying saucer

C．the feasibility of sending a Venus Being to Earth

D．the possibility of directing a flying saucer into Manhattan

【小題2】Why will the Venusian have to take their own oxygen with them when they carry out their flying saucer program because _____. 

A．they need it in their way to the planet of Earth

B．the Earth's atmosphere is filled with deadly gases

C．there is a low level of oxygen for Venusians

D．there is no air on the planet of Earth

【小題3】It can be inferred from the passage that ______. 

A．landing a manned flying saucer on Earth will be carried out soon

B．Venusians will land on Earth to help to stop serious pollution

C．it’s unnecessary to land a manned flying saucer on Earth at present

D．pollution on Earth makes it impossible for Venusians to survive there

【小題4】Where can you probably read such a passage?. 

A．In a popular magazine.	B．In a fairy tale.
C．In an observation journal	D．In science fiction