A 34-year-old mother has spoken of how she woke up thinking she was 15 years old and living in 1992.
Naomi Jacobs, from Manchester, was convinced she was still a teenager. In her mind, John Major was Prime Minister and George Bush Sr. was running the White House. She also showed how she screamed when a boy appeared and called her “Mum”. Mobile phones and e-mails were puzzling and Google, Facebook and YouTube sounded like made-up words, she said.
Ms. Jacobs, who had no memory of the years, was told by doctors that she had Transient Global Amnesia (TGA). She has now written a book about the experience which happened in 2008.
“I fell asleep in 1992 as a brave, very confident know-it-all-15-year-old, and woke up as a 32-year-old single mum living in a rented house,” Ms. Jacobs said. “The last thing I remember was falling asleep in my bed, dreaming about a boy in my class. When I woke up, I looked in the mirror and had the fright of my life when I saw an old woman with wrinkles staring back at me. Then a little boy appeared and started calling me Mum. That’s when I started to scream. I didn’t know who he was. I didn’t think he was much younger than I was, and I certainly didn’t remember giving birth to him. I began sobbing uncontrollably. I just wanted my mum. I couldn’t get my head around going to bed one night and waking up in a different century.”
TGA is a rare type of amnesia which can occur suddenly, affecting around three people per 100,000 each year. Fortunately, permanent memory loss is rare. Ms. Jacobs’ memory started to return after eight weeks.
Some people who often suffer from migraines (偏頭痛) also appear to be more likely to have TGA. The cause of TGA is unknown. Some think that it may be caused by a temporary cut of blood flow to parts of the brain involved in memory.
【小題1】 When a little boy came to call her “Mum”, Naomi Jacobs was _____.

A．excited

B．frightened

C．worried

D．embarrassed

【小題2】What was the last thing Naomi Jacobs could remember?

A．She was a brave and confident girl.

B．She met an old woman with wrinkles.

C．George Bush Sr. was elected President.

D．She fell asleep dreaming of a boy in her class.

【小題3】According to the text, TGA _____.

A．is quite common

B．is caused by brain injuries

C．results in permanent memory loss

D．causes people to lose part of their memory

【小題4】What’s the main idea of the text?
A. Naomi Jacobs has a poor memory.
B. Naomi Jacobs gets an amazing career after TGA.
C. Naomi Jacobs wakes up with the memory of her youth.
D. Naomi Jacobs succeeds in overcoming the disease.
【小題5】According to the passage, we know _______.

A．Ms. Jacobs’ memory returned to normal now

B．Ms. Jacobs often doesn’t remember things

C．Ms. Jacobs has not got married yet

D．Ms. Jacobs is very young now in deed

At times my mom has been uncomfortable seeing these qualities in me. For example, when I was 12, I went to Puerto Rico all by myself to stay with my grandmother for the summer. My mom was extremely nervous about it. She kept telling me how things were different in Puerto Rico, to always put on sunscreen, not to wander away from my grandmother, and other warnings. She helped me pack and did not leave the airport until she saw my plane take off.
But despite her worries, she let me go on my own. As I moved into my teens, she continued to give me space to grow and learn, even when it might have been difficult for her. When I reached my senior year, I decided to move away for college. Once again I found that I differed from my peers. While many of them wanted to stay close to home, I couldn't wait to be out in the world on my own. I had been looking forward to this chance for longer than I could remember. And once again, while my mom may not have been happy at the thought of me going away, she was supportive and excited for me. Sure, there were times when she’d nag (不斷地嘮叨)me about certain choices I made, but for the most part she did not stand in my way.
One big thing I realized during my senior year was that she actually believes in me and trusts me. That means a lot. Most of my life, and especially when I was little, the main person I tried to impress was my mother. I knew she expected nothing but the best from me. Sometimes it was hard to live up to her standards; getting a single B on my report card would make me feel bad because I knew she wanted me to have all A’s.
I know that her high standards have helped me stay focused on what's important, like education, and made me who I am. I am thankful for her support and involvement in my life. Most of all I respect her; she is the strongest woman I know and that's why I have turned out so strong and independent.
【小題1】When the author decided to go to Puerto Rico, his mother ________.

A．wanted to go with him

B．worried about his safety

C．didn’t allow him to go

D．a(chǎn)sked his grandmother for advice

【小題2】The author decided to move away for college to ________.

A．be different from his peers

B．keep away from his mother

C．be independent in outside world

D．make his mother unhappy

【小題3】We can learn from the third paragraph that the author’s mother ________.

A．had a high expectation from him

B．was too strict with him

C．used to expect nothing from him

D．cared little about his learning

【小題4】We can learn from the last paragraph that the author ________.

A．is quite grateful for his mother’s trust

B．still doesn’t quite understand his mother’s attitude

C．doesn’t like his mother’s involvement in his life

D．wishes to have more freedom from his mother

In 1883. John Roebling was inspired by an idea to build a spectacular bridge connecting New York with the Long Island. However, bridge building experts throughout the world thought this was an impossible mission and told Roebling to forget the idea, but Roebling could not ignore the vision he had in his mind of this bridge. After much discussion and persuasion he managed to convince his son Washington, an up and coming engineer, that the bridge in fact could be built.
The project started well, but when it was only a few months underway a tragic accident on the site took the life of John Roebling. Washington was injured and left with a certain amount of brain damage, which resulted in him not being able to walk or talk or even move.
"We told them so." "Crazy men and their crazy dreams.'' "It's foolish to chase wild visions." Everyone had a negative comment to make and felt that the project should be scrapped since the Roeblings were the only ones who knew how the bridge could be built. In spite of his handicap, Washington was never discouraged.
One day he was lying on his bed in hospital, seeing the sky and the tops of the trees outside for just a moment with the sunlight streaming through the windows, and a gentle breeze bowing the  flimsy white curtains apart when an idea hit him. He decided to make the best use of the only finger  he could move. Thus, he slowly developed a code of communication with his wife.
He touched his wife's arm with that finger, indicating to her that he wanted her to call the engineers again. Then he used the same method of tapping her arm to tell the engineers what to do. It seemed foolish but the project was under way again.
For 13 years Washington tapped out his instructions with his finger on his wife's arm until the bridge was finally completed.
【小題1】Which of the following is true of Washington and his father?

A．They are hardworking and courageous.

B．They are stubborn and bold.

C．They are creative and persistent.

D．They are curious and modest.

【小題2】In the third paragraph, the underlined phrase ''wild vision" refers to______.

A．the tragic accident

B．the building of the bridge

C．the brain damage

D．the discussion and persuasion

【小題3】From the passage, we know that _______ when Roebling proposed building the bridge.

A．people all over America supported him

B．a(chǎn)lmost no bridge experts in the world supported him

C．his friends were strongly in favor of his idea

D．many people considered it would be a great project

【小題4】The passage suggests that______.

A．NO pains, no gains.

B．Many hands make light work.

C．A lighted heart is a good medicine.

D．Passion creates wonder.

I first heard this story a few years ago from a girl. Probably the story is one of those mysterious bits of folklore that reappear every few years. However, I still like to think that it really did happen, somewhere, sometime.
They were going to Fort Lauderdale-- three boys and three girls -- and when they boarded the bus, they were carrying sandwiches and wine, dreaming of golden beaches and sea tides as the gray, cold spring of New York vanished behind them.
As the bus passed through New Jersey, they began to notice Vingo. He sat in front of them, dressed in a plain ill-fitting suit, never moving, his dusty face masking his age. He kept chewing the inside of his lip a lot, frozen into complete silence.
Deep into the night, the bus pulled into Howard Johnson's, and everybody got off except Vingo. He sat rooted in his seat, and the young people began to wonder about him: perhaps he was a sea captain, a runaway from his wife, an old soldier going home. When they went back to the bus, one of the girls sat beside him and introduced herself.
¨We're going to Florida," she said brightly. “I hear it's really beautiful. "
"It is," he said quietly, as if remembering something he had tried to forget.
“Want some wine?" she said. He thanked her and retreated again into his silence. After a while, she went back to the others, and Vingo nodded in sleep.
In the morning, they awoke outside another Howard Johnson's, and this time Vingo went in. The girl insisted that he join them. He seemed very shy, and ordered black coffee and smoked nervously as the young people chattered about sleeping on beaches. When they returned to the bus, the girl sat with Vingo again, and after a while, slowly and painfully, he began to tell his story. He had been in jail in New York for the past four years, and now he was going home.
¨Are you married?"
“I don't know. "
“You don’t know?" she said.
“Well, when I was in jail I wrote to my wife," he said. ¨‘I told her that I was going to be away a long time, and that if she couldn't stand it, if the kids kept asking questions, she could just forget me. I'd understand. Get a new guy, I said - she's a wonderful woman – and forget about me. I told her she didn't have to write me. And she didn't. Not for three and a half years. "
"And you're going home now, not knowing?"
" Yeah," he said shyly. ‘‘Last week, when I was sure the parole was coming through, I wrote her again. There's a big oak tree just as you come into town, I told her that if she didn't have a new guy and if she'd take me back, she should put a yellow handkerchief on the tree, and I'd get off and come home. If she didn't want me, forget it - no handkerchief, and I'd go on through. "
"Wow," the girl exclaimed. "Wow. "
She told the others, and soon all of them were in it, caught up in the approach of Brunswick, looking at the pictures Vingo showed them of his wife and three children.
Now they were 20 miles from Brunswick, and the young people took over window seats, waiting for the approach of the great oak tree. Vingo stopped looking, tightening his face, as if fortifying himself against still another disappointment.
Then Brunswick was 10 miles, and then five. Then, suddenly, all of the young people were up out of their seats, screaming and shouting and crying. All except Vingo. Vingo sat there stunned, looking at the oak tree. It was covered with yellow handkerchiefs —20 of them, 30 of them, maybe hundreds. As the young people shouted, the old con slowly rose from his seat and made his way to the front of the bus to go home.
【小題1】According to the passage, which statement is TRUE?

A．The young people are travelling from Florida to New York.

B．Vingo was put in prison ten years ago, and now he was set free to go home.

C．The young people around Vingo were quite curious about his silence.

D．At last, Vingo went home together with the three boys and three girls.

【小題2】From the underlined sentences in Para 3, we can infer that _____.

A．Vingo was nervous because he didn't know whether his wife would accept him.

B．Vingo was very disappointed because his wife didn't answer his letter.

C．Vingo was very shy because he knew someone was watching him.

D．Vingo was excited because he could go home and meet his wife and children.

【小題3】The underlined word "fortify" in the passage has the same meaning as that in Sentence___.
A. The French soldiers are working hard to fortify airbase.
B. The food has been fortified with Vitamin C.
C. People in the whole city were fortified by the moving story about their hero.
D. We had to drink some more coffee to fortify ourselves for the journey.
【小題4】Which word do you think can best describe Vingo's wife?

A．humorous

B．loyal

C．generous

D．hard-working

【小題5】After reading the whole story, we can probably make a conclusion that_____.

A．Young people are always curious about everything new around them.

B．Home is always the first place a person wants to go.

C．Don’t laugh at a person who has no home.

D．It is impolite to ask questions about one's privacy that he or she doesn't want to tell.

【小題6】What's the best title for the passage?

A．A story of a poor man	B．The power of love
C．Help from strangers	D．Going home

Brief  Introduction	Virginia Woolf (née Stephen; 25 January 1882 – 28 March 1941)
(Adeline) Virginia Woolf was an English novelist and essayist, regarded as one of the foremost modernist literary figures of the twentieth century.During the interwar period, Woolf was a significant figure in London literary society and a member of the Bloomsbury Group. Her most famous works include the novels Mrs Dalloway (1925), To the Lighthouse (1927) and Orlando (1928), and the book-length essay A Room of One's Own (1929), with its famous dictum, "a woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction."
Reading （A litter writen by her）
My dear， 'Dearest, I feel certain I am going mad again. I feel we can't go through another of those terrible times. And I shan't recover this time. I begin to hear voices, and I can't concentrate. So I am doing what seems the best thing to do. You have given me the greatest possible happiness. You have been in every way all that anyone could be. I don't think two people could have been happier till this terrible disease came. I can't fight any longer. I know that I am spoiling your life, that without me you could work. And you will I know. You see I can't even write this properly. I can't read. What I want to say is I owe all the happiness of my life to you. You have been entirely patient with me and incredibly good. I want to say that - everybody knows it. If anybody could have saved me it would have been you. Everything has gone from me but the certainty of your goodness. I can't go on spoiling your life any longer. I don't think two people could have been happier than we have been 　　　　　　                      ...........................from the last letter of virginia woolf
Background  of  litter
During this period, Virginia Woolf wrote his masterpiece, it can be said that this period of her creation of the harvest season. But this does not relieve her illness, her symptoms of schizophrenia is more and more serious, especially in the second world wars, the German Air Force bombing the UK for some time. Wolf created a printing factory was destroyed, then he lived in London for the villa was blown out. These two events left not resolve the shadow in the heart of Woolf, shorten（縮短） her embrace death. In March 28, 1941, she came to the ouse River, in the clothing pocket filled with stones, step by step toward the middle of the river walk, over his short life, has left us with a large number of magnificent; ornate; fascinating（美輪美奐的） works of art.

【小題1】According to the first paragraph we can infer that            

A．During the interwar period，virginia woolf was important for London people.

B．She has been living for 55 years

C．Her first the novels Mrs Dalloway in 1925

D．She regarded as one of the foremost romanticism literary figures of the twentieth century

【小題2】What is form of The main body？

A．Letter of resignation	B．Letter of condolence
C．Letter of suicide	D．Letters of apologies

【小題3】Where can we see this article？

A．newspaper

B．testbook

C．German Literature

D．television

【小題4】According to the reading, which of the following is not the reason of her Dutch act（自殺）？

A．She can't go on spoiling your life any longer.

B．She feels certain she is going mad again.

C．She cannot bear her husband's interference.

D．The approach of war makes her psychological problems aggravated.

【小題5】What can we know about virginia woolf’s character？

A．Optimistic

B．Complex

C．Ordinary

D．Lonely

An African-American man named John Henry was the hero of former slaves and the people who built the railroads in the US in the 19th century.
John Henry was born a slave. He was known for his strength. Many people say he represents the spirit of growth in America during that period.
John Henry grew up in a world that did not let children stay children for long. Before he was six years old, he was carrying stones for workers building a nearby railroad. By the time John Henry was a young man, he was one of the best railroad workers in the country.
John Henry was asked to lead workers on a hard project, creating a tunnel through a mountain. The project required about 1,000 laborers and lasted three years. Hundreds of men became sick as a result of the hot weather and tiredness. John Henry was the strongest and fastest man. Concerned his friends might lose their jobs, he picked up their hammers and began doing their work. He worked day and night, rarely stopping to have a rest.
One day, a salesman came to the work area with a new drilling machine powered by steam. He said it could drill holes faster than twelve men working together.
John Henry looked at the machine and saw images of the future. He saw machines taking the place of America’s best laborers. He saw himself and his friends unemployed and sanding by a road, asking for food. He decided he would never let the machine take their jobs. Therefore, a competition between a man and a machine began .At first, the steam-powered drill worked twice faster. Then, John Henry started working with a hammer in each hand. He worked faster and faster. People cheered when the machine broke down and was pulled away. But they were sad to find John Henry fall to the ground, with blood spilling all around, and still holding a hammer in one of his hands.“I beat them,”he said. Then he took his last breath.
【小題1】What does the underlined part in Paragraph 3 most probably mean?

A．Many children in those days starved to death.

B．Children at that time grew much faster.

C．Children in those days had to work like adults.

D．Children at that time couldn’t stay together.

【小題2】Why did hundreds of workers become sick?

A．Because they had to work long hours.

B．Because the weather was hot and they were tired.

C．Because the project was too hard.

D．Because they didn’t have time to eat.

【小題3】 John Henry helped do his friends’ work     .

A．because he was the strongest and fastest man

B．for fear that his friends would lose their jobs

C．so that they could regain their strength

D．in order be the hero of the railroad workers

【小題4】 Which of the following best describes John Henry?

A．Kind and determined.	B．Cautious and considerate.
C．Brave and strict.	D．Hardworking and stubborn.

I wish there would be a way to describe China in simple terms but that’s impossible. For the most part Chinese people are friendly, easy-going and optimistic. They are curious and unusually patient and they are also the hardest-working people I have ever met.
In China, family is everything. In my English classes when the students were asked what they would do if they only had a few hours to live, most students told me how they would spend their last few hours with their families and parents. Many times the subjects in the classes center on families and friends. I teach many students a year, talking to them freely.
The cost of living here is very low compared with that of the US. The city of Xiang Fan I live in isn’t large and I live better. Non-imported(非出口的) foods are very cheap, so are clothing and articles of everyday use. The cost of public transportation is very low, too. Chinese value education. However, it is reported that many children can’t afford the expenses of schooling and are forced to leave school in some poor area in China. But they organized Project Hope many years age. It creates conditions for the poor children to go back to school. In my opinion, Project Hope is of great importance to the development of the rural education.
When we read news of China in the west, rarely, if ever, will we see anything mentioned of the positive changes China has gone through. While it is true that economic miracles have not reached many areas of China, but we also have the same problems.
When I am asked which country I consider better. China or the US, my answer has always been the same, “We are not worse or better than each other, we are only different.”
【小題1】What does the author think of Chinese people?

A．He thinks most Chinese people hardly work.

B．He thinks most Chinese people are proud.

C．He praises most Chinese people a lot.

D．He dislikes most Chinese people.

【小題2】What is the author doing in China?

A．He is visiting the places of interest.

B．He is teaching English in a school.

C．He is studying in a college.

D．He is on business.

【小題3】What are not cheap in China in the author’s opinion?

A．Clothes and shoes made in China.	B．Local foods
C．Public transportation tickets.	D．Imported foods

【小題4】We can infer from the passage that the author thinks________.

A．the westerners have got to know China well

B．China’s economic miracles have appeared everywhere

C．the progress of China is seldom reported in the US

D．the education in rural areas is never cared about in China

【小題5】In the author’s eyes,________.

A．China is different from the US

B．China is better than the US

C．Americans are richer than Chinese

D．China bears great similarities to the US

A friend of mine named Paul received an expensive car from his brother as a Christmas present．On Christmas Eve when Paul came out of his office，a street urchin (頑童)was walking around the shining car. “Is this your car，Paul？”he asked．
Paul answered，“Yes，my brother gave it to me for Christmas．”The boy was surprised．“You mean your brother gave it to you and it didn’t cost you nothing？Boy，I wish…”He hesitated(猶豫)．
Of course Paul knew what he was going to wish for．He was going to wish he had a brother like that. But what the boy said surprised Paul greatly.
“I wish，”the boy went on，“that I could be a brother like that．”Paul looked at the boy in surprise， then he said again， "Would you like to take a ride in my car？”
“Oh yes，I’d love that．”
After a short ride，the boy turned and with his eyes shining，said，“Paul，would you mind driving in front of my house？”
Paul smiled a little．He thought he knew what the boy wanted．He wanted to show his neighbors that he could ride home in a big car. But Paul was wrong again. "Will you stop where those two steps are？ the boy asked．
He ran up to the steps. Then in a short while Paul heard him coming back， but he was not coming fast. He was carrying his little crippled (殘疾的)brother. He sat him down on the step and pointed to the car.
“There she is，Buddy，just like I told you upstairs. His brother gave it to him for Christmas and it didn’t cost him a cent. And some day I’m going to give you one just like it…then you can see for yourself all the nice things in the Christmas windows that I’ve been trying to tell you about.”
Paul got out and lifted the boy to the front seat of his car. The shining-eyed older brother climbed in beside him and the three of them began an unforgettable holiday ride.
【小題1】The street urchin was very surprised when ________．

A．Paul received an expensive car

B．Paul told him about the car

C．he saw the shining car

D．he was walking around the car

【小題2】From the story we can see the urchin ________．

A．wished to give his brother a car

B．wanted Paul’s brother to give him a car

C．wished he could have a brother like Paul’s

D．wished Paul could be a brother like that

【小題3】The urchin asked Paul to stop his car in front of his house ________．

A．to show his neighbors the big car

B．to show he had a rich friend

C．to let his brother ride in the car

D．to tell his brother about his wish

【小題4】We can infer（推斷）from the story that ________．

A．Paul couldn’t understand the urchin

B．the urchin had a deep love for his brother

C．the urchin wished to have a rich brother

D．the urchin’s wish came true in the end

【小題5】The best name of the name story is _________．

A．A Christmas Present

B．A Street Urchin

C．A Brother Like That

D．An Unforgettable Holiday Ride

Sam, a dog, was left behind in Colorado while his owners, Mr. And Mrs. Green moved to Southern California. They did not give the dog up. They found him a very nice home before they moved. They would have let Sam accompany them, but they were afraid the dog’s presence would make it difficult for them to rent(租) a house when they reached their destination.
The Green family lived in Colorado for less than a year. Before that, they had lived in the same neighborhood in California to which they returned. So Sam had been there before, but only for a short time when he was young.
Several months after the Greens left Colorado, after they were comfortably settled back in California, they heard a scratch（抓）at the door. They couldn’t imagine who might be there. They never thought that it might be Sam, because they were sure he was happily set up with his new family back in Colorado. When they opened the door, the Greens saw a dirty, tired dog with very hurting feet. The animal looked a little bit like Sam, but no one could believe that Sam could have walked 840 miles on his own. The tired dog spent the night under the family car. The next day, when he was more rested, he performed some of his old tricks. The Greens knew they had their own dog back.
【小題1】The story suggests that _______ .

A．dog owners have trouble renting

B．many people treat their pets badly

C．keeping a dog is easy

D．dogs are too much trouble

【小題2】Which is the right order （順序）of the following events according to the passage?
a. Sam walked to California.
b. The Greens moved to Colorado.
c. The Greens left Sam.
d. The Greens returned to California.
e. Sam spent the night under the family car.

A．b, d, c, e, a

B．b, c, d, a, e

C．a(chǎn), c, b, e, d

D．c, e, d, a, b

【小題3】 The underlined word “destination” in the first paragraph means _________.

A．the cost of living

B．the country of one’s birth

C．the damage to oneself

D．the place to which one is going

【小題4】The Greens knew the dog was Sam ________.

A．because of his hurting feet

B．from the color and the markings

C．by the way he walked

D．a(chǎn)fter he did some tricks

Mark Twain was a great writer. He was from the USA. He was born in 1835. He was also a famous speaker. He was famous for his sense of humour. Many people liked to listen to him talk because he liked to tell some interesting stories to make people laugh all the time.
　　One day Mark Twain was going to a small town because of his writing. Before he was going to leave, one of his friends said to him that there were always a lot of mosquitoes(蚊子) in the town and told him that he’d better not go there. Mark Twain waved (搖動(dòng)) his hand and said, “It doesn’t matter. The mosquitoes are no relatives of mine. I don’t think they will come to visit me.”
After he arrived at the town, Mark Twain stayed in a small hotel near the station. He went into his room, but when he was just about to have a rest, quite a few mosquitoes flew about him. The waiters felt very sorry about that. “I’m very sorry, Mr. Mark Twain. There are too many mosquitoes in our town.” One of them said to him.
Mark Twain, however, made a joke, saying to the waiter, “The mosquitoes are very clever. They know my room number. They didn’t come into the wrong room.” What he said made all the people present laugh heartily.
But that night Mark Twain slept well. Do you know why? That was because all the waiters in the hotel were driving the mosquitoes away for him during the whole night.
【小題1】 That day Mark Twain went to the town _____.

A．to see one of his friends

B．to see one of his relatives

C．because he was told there were a lot of mosquitoes there

D．because he wanted to do something there for his writing

【小題2】The waiters felt sorry because _____.

A．their hotel was too small

B．the room was not very clean

C．they did something wrong to Mark Twain

D．there were quite a few mosquitoes in Mark Twain’s room

【小題3】 All the people present laughed heartily because _____.

A．Mark Twain made a joke

B．the mosquitoes knew Mark Twain’s room number

C．Mark Twain gave the waiters some nice presents

D．the mosquitoes were very clever and they didn’t come into the wrong room

【小題4】 From the story we know _____.

A．Mark Twain didn’t have a good rest that night

B．no mosquitoes troubled Mark Twain in the night

C．there were not mosquitoes in the hotel any longer

D．the owner of the hotel told the waiters to look after Mark Twain well at night