Once my friend Peterson bought a pack of chicken, the brand of which was very famous at that time. But when he got home he found that the chicken had gone bad. He took the chicken back to the shop and he was paid twice of the price. We may say now he should have been satisfied but my friend would not like to stop. He decided to write a letter to Frank, president of the company, who was also the founder of the chicken brand.
About a week later he received a letter written by the president himself. In the letter he apologized to my friend for it whole –heartedly .There was also a card in the envelope ,with which my friend could get another pack of chicken in any of the shops. In the end my friend was asked to answer some questions.
1. When and where did you buy the chicken?
2. What was the real problem of the chicken?
3. What did the shop ass istant say when you took the chicken back to the shop?
4. W hat do you think is the reason for the chicken to go bad?
5. What do you suggest we should do to get away from such problems?
Two days later, my friend also received a telephone call from the president’s office, asking whether he had received the letter as well as the card and then some other questions. Since then, my friend has always bought chicken of this brand whenever he wants to.
【小題1】What did the friend get when he took the bad chicken back to the shop?

A．Another pack of chicken.

B．Two packs of chicken.

C．Double the price.

D．A whole-hearted apology.

【小題2】What did the author’s friend do when he came back from the shop after he was paid back?

A．He felt satisfied with the result.

B．He wrote a letter to the President of the US.

C．He became very angry with the shop assistant.

D．He wrote a letter to the president of the company.

【小題3】What is the author’s friend’s attitude towards the chicken brand?

A．He still believes in it.

B．He doesn’t believe it at all.

C．He will never buy it again.

D．He has never been satisfied with it.

【小題4】What can we infer from the passage?

A．The company may still be a top brand now.

B．The president of the company is a responsible person.

C．The company must have closed down.

D．The author may also believe in the chicken brand.

Like lots of small-business owners, Lola Gonzalez had to decide to cut down her company’s nine-person staff (員工) when the economic recovery began to fail last spring. Unlike other companies, she picked an unlikely employee to lay off (解雇): herself.
Her business began to have problems in 2008 after going through her books (賬簿)
One day, her husband, Marcos, told her she had to reduce her payroll（薪金總額）by one person. Gonzalez said at a meeting, “I want you all to know that I have to lay somebody off and it’s been a very difficult decision. And that person is me.” Employees first froze in amazement and then burst into laughter until they realized she was serious. Gonzalez ’s employees said they were grateful for her kindness.
Her reason was simple. Although she ran the business and her employees did the legwork (跑腿), she thought she could find work more easily than her staff. Sure enough, she soon got a job as a social worker for a non-profit organization called Devereux Kids. She enjoys her social-worker job now, but the salary (薪水) cut has required some lifestyle changes. She and Marcos no longer eat out daily; they no longer pay for their son’s car and mobile phone, and they changed their car to a smaller one to save $300 a month.
Her business has picked up a bit recently and Marcos has begun to work part-time at Gonzalez’s company. Gonzalez says she has no plan to return to work at her company until the economic situation becomes better, perhaps in a year. Her employees, however, will get Christmas bonuses (獎(jiǎng)金) this year.
【小題1】How many workers are there in Gonzalez’s company at present?

A．8.

B．9.

C．10.

D．11.

【小題2】How did her employees feel at first when they heard Gonzalez’s decision?

A．Happy.

B．Grateful.

C．Surprised.

D．Unbelievable.

【小題3】After leaving her company, _____________.

A．Gonzalez sold her car and went to work by bus

B．Gonzalez always had meals in a restaurant

C．Gonzalez’s son helped her a lot

D．Gonzalez changed her lifestyle a lot

【小題4】From the text, we can learn that ___________.

A．Gonzalez will not return to her company in future

B．Gonzalez’s business has improved a little lately

C．Gonzalez got her social-worker job with great difficulty

D．Marcos lost his job and had to work at Gonzalez’s company

My wife and I used to feel that it was impossible to be a true friend to someone whose name we didn't know. How wrong we were! Years of Sunday-morning bus trips through the city with the same group of “nameless” people have changed our thinking. Before the bus takes off, we all join in a conversation: where’s the silent woman who sits up front and never responds to our cheery greetings? Here she comes. Her worn clothing suggests she doesn't have much money to spare, but she always takes an extra cup of coffee for the driver.
We get smiles from a Mexican couple as they get on the bus hand in hand. When they get off, they’re still holding hands. The woman was pregnant late last year, and one day her change of shape confirmed that she’d delivered the child. We even felt a little pride at the thought of our extended family.?
For many months, our only sadness lay in our inability to establish the same friendship with the silent woman at the front of the bus. Then, one evening, we went to a fish restaurant. We were shown to a table alongside someone sitting alone. It was the woman from the bus.?
We greeted her with friendly familiarity we’d shown all year, but this time her face softened, then a shy smile. When she spoke, the words escaped awkwardly from her lips. All at once we realized why she hadn’t spoken to us before. Talking was hard for her.?
Over dinner, we learned the stay of a single mother with a disabled son who was receiving special care away from home. She missed him desperately, she explained. “I love him… and he loves me, even though he doesn’t express it very well,” she murmured. “Lots of us have that problem, don’t we? We don’t say what we want to say, what we should be saying. And that’s not good enough.” The candles flared on our tables. Our fish had never tasted better. But the atmosphere grew pleasant, and when we parted as friends—we shared names.
【小題1】All the following statements can describe the woman except ______.

A．poor

B．warm -hearted

C．silent

D．cold

【小題2】The underlined word “establish” in the 3th paragraph has the same meaning as_________.

A．keep

B．discover

C．set up

D．a(chǎn)ccept

【小題3】The woman had the same problem with her son in the way that ______.

A．they both disabled people

B．they both had some difficulty in expressing

C．they both liked bus travel

D．they both brought interest to the passengers

【小題4】Which of the following might be the best title of this passage?

A．Friends of the Road	B．The Silent Woman on the Bus
C．Going to Work by Bus	D．Different Kinds of Friendship

Five years ago, I was sent to a better middle school. For me, everything there was new and strange. After I had been there for two months, there was an important test in the middle of the term. It covered all my courses. In that test, I didn’t get a good grade, but most of my classmates got an A.
It made me upset for a long time. I felt everything in the world was changing. I thought my classmates were all better than me. During those days I was very unhappy.
One day, my aunt, after talking with my teachers, talked to me. She told me to think about what I had done in the past and what I should do in the future. I was shocked by her words. I thought about what I had done during the past months, and I found I had done nothing to improve my grades. I thought I should work harder.
After that, I paid more attention to the teachers’ talking in the classes, and I asked my teachers or my classmates when I didn’t understand something. I studied very late at night when I met with difficult problems. Most of all, I came to understand the importance of taking notes in class. As a result, I did better in some tests.
About three months later, the most important test came at the end of the term. This time, I stood out not only in my class but also in the grade. From then on, I have tried to do my best when I do something because I know if I want something, I should work hard for it.
【小題1】Why did the writer fall behind in the new middle school? _________

A．Because the teachers didn’t treat him well enough.

B．Because the subjects were becoming more difficult.

C．Because he hated the life in the new school.

D．Because he didn’t put his heart into study.

【小題2】What did the writer’s aunt do to help him out? _________

A．She punished him for not working hard.

B．She helped him find out the reasons for his poor performance.

C．She forced him to work harder.

D．She asked his teachers to talk with him about his problems.

【小題3】Which of the following studying methods helped the writer most?_________

A．Asking teachers for help when in difficulty.

B．Working deep into the night every day.

C．Making notes in class.

D．Listening to every word his teachers said.

【小題4】What does the underlined sentence in the last paragraph mean? __________

A．The writer failed again in the exam.

B．The writer did very well in the exam.

C．The writer became the cleverest in the class.

D．The writer was very proud of his progress.

The secret of happiness
An old man walked slowly with a cane(手杖)into the restaurant .His old jacket, worn-out shoes and warm personality made him stand out from the usual crowd.
A young waitress watched him move toward a table by the window. She ran over to him, and said: “Here, sir……let me help you with that chair.”
Without saying a word, he smiled and nodded(點(diǎn)頭)a thank you. She pulled the chair away from the table and helped him sit. Then she put his came against the table.
“Thank you, miss.”he said, kindly.
“You’re welcome, sir.”she said.
After he had finished his breakfast, the waitress brought him the change(零錢(qián))from his bill. He left it on the table. She helped him up and walked with him to the front door.
When she went to clean his table, she found a business card under his plate and note on a napkin(紙巾). Under the napkin was a 100-dollar bill.
The note on the napkin read: “Dear miss, I respect you very much and I can see you respect yourself, too. It shows by the way you treat others. (3)You have found the secret of happiness. Your kindness will shine through to all those who meet you.”
The man she had waited on was the owner of the restaurant where she worked. This was the first time that she or any of the other workers had ever seen him in person.
By Steve Brunkhorst
【小題1】The old man left﹩100 under the napkin because he

A．had a habit of giving tips to waitresses

B．thought the meal was delicious

C．wanted to thank the waitress for her good attitude

D．learned the secret of happiness from the waitress

【小題2】What do we know about the waitress and the old man?

A．The waitress knew who the old man was from the note.

B．The waitress knew the old man before she served him.

C．The old man wanted to have the waitress as his secretary.

D．It was the first time that the waitress had ever seen her boss.

【小題3】We can tell from the story that the old man went to the restaurant to     .

A．have a good meal

B．enjoy good service

C．see the restaurant for himself

D．show his love for common people

【小題4】The underlined phrase“waited on”means     .

A．looked at

B．served

C．waited for

D．Found

I really hadn't meant to yell at them. But that grey afternoon saw it just as my son and daughter were making a terrible mess on the floor in the kitchen.
With a tiresome report to write, I felt bothered at my desk. Suddenly, it occurred to me that my kids were at fault. A voice inside me insisted that I do something quickly.
“OK, you two here, but what an awful thing you are attempting!” shouting angrily, I made for them, while it became evident that the boy wanted no part of me. “Get away from us!” he shouted back, there being expression of support from his sister.
All of a sudden, I found the fault in myself. Quickly I shaped my hands into pincers（螃蟹螯;鉗子）and crawled towards them, “Crabby（似螃蟹的）Daddy is here. Ha, Ha, Ha, he likes to yell at children, and then eat them!” My son continued to keep me away, but now he was laughing and crying at the same time. My mission to repair the damage caused by my yelling seemed to work well. Still, I regretted not having controlled myself first in a right way that my children could do after.
Need I let them know how badly they were acting by blaming? This is a lesson that serves myself. It only shows just how to get rid of something（ill-feelings, responsibility）by blaming others. It's not my “best self”.
We have to search for our “best self” when with our children. They don't need perfect parents, but they do need parents who are always trying to get better. Here, I'm reminded of the words of a great thinker, “When a man lives with God, his voice shall be as sweet as the murmur of the brook…” Then, in our lifetime, couldn't we always speak to our kids in such a sweet voice since most of us consider them as the most precious in the world? And before we reach this level, what should we do when we come across various difficult cases with our children?
【小題1】The author couldn't help yelling at his kids this time probably because___________.

A．the weather was so unpleasant	B．a(chǎn) Daddy has his right to do so
C．the kids didn't ask him to join them	D．he was tired of his boring work

【小題2】Which of the following made the author aware of his fault?

A．No obvious reason.	B．The children’s reaction.
C．His self-control.	D．The mess made by the children.

【小題3】According to the passage the author will __________in another similar situation.

A．play a crab again like this time	B．a(chǎn)pologize to kids in a sincere way
C．a(chǎn)void blaming kids in a hurry	D．beat them up about such things

【小題4】What will the writer go on to write about in the next paragraph(s)?

A．How to behave ourselves properly when kids are at fault.

B．How to blame our children in a more interesting way.

C．How to deal with the terrible mess made by our kids.

D．How to persuade children to do what they are told to.

It was January lst, the first day of the year and a holiday for me．I went to the bank to get the bank work out of the way. The bank clerk nodded and I sat in front of him．  He was busy filling up entries in his register．
I put my form and booklet in front of him．After waiting for a few more minutes, in which I showed all signs of being impatient, I asked him if my work was done． He shouted, "Nothing is done, and it will take time ! "
Just then I saw his morning cup of tea, which had been lying there for the last ten minutes, untoucheD.The tea had turned almost cold while he was doing his work．Suddenly I felt what this man must be feeling  when customers like me come always in a hurry to get their work done． We do not even feel the need to thank them for being there．
So I told him, "Sir, please have your teA.I am not in a hurry． " This man suddenly looked up at me and for the first time we had eye contact．I saw a different person there, who was as hard-pressed for time as I always am．
I saw both of us sailing in the same boat. I felt that he was also missing the small things in life like a hot cup of tea or lying in a warm bed for a few more minutes like me．He gave me a rare smile and said, "It is an everyday affair with me; you are not in a hurry but somebody else will be．
He really touched my heart with his wise words． I felt that all this time I thought of him as someone who was there for my convenience, but today I suddenly felt a strange communion with him. I vowed(鄭重宣布) to be friendly with people who help me with my work and be thankful that they are there for me．
【小題1】Which of the following is NOT true of the writer?

A．He works in the bank as a clerk, too．

B．He went to the bank to do some business．

C．He was touched by the untouched cup of tea．

D．He got annoyed after waiting a few minutes．

【小題2】What can we learn about the bank clerk?

A．He hated to work on a holiday .

B．He didn't like his work in the bank.

C．He was under great work pressure．

D．He communicated well with his customers．

【小題3】What can you learn from the underlined sentence in Paragraph 5?

A．He was sometimes in the similar situation．

B．They once sailed in the same boat．

C．They expected to sail in the same boat．

D．He's too busy to sail in a boat, too．

【小題4】The writer's attitude towards the bank clerk might be that of    .

A．tolerance

B．gratitude

C．sympathy

D．satisfaction

【小題5】What does the text try to tell us?

A．To be patient with your customers

B．Helping others is helping yourself

C．To be thankful to those who help you.

D．It is our duty to do things for others

A boy and a girl were a couple of lovers. The girl liked feeling rain, so the boy was always holding the umbrella when it rained and most part of the umbrella was over the girl. Rain showered the boy every time but he said nothing except looked at the gift's face, which was full of silent satisfaction. He felt very happy, so did the girl.
One day they went out for a walk. They were walking hand in hand passing a building which was under construction. The girl jumped with excitement and said something. The boy seldom talked only feeling excited as she felt looking at her silently. When the girl was talking, a not big or small stone fell down from the building toward the girl's head! At that moment the boy took the girl in his arms so suddenly and so strongly that the girl let out a scream. He meant to protect the gift with his body. But the boy turned over to make his own body downward before they dropped on the ground. As a result, only the girl's hand was smashed by the stone and fractured.
The girl came back to earth and cried with pain, tears weeping up. She thought the saying that “The husband and the wife are birds in the same forest essentially, but when serious tragedy comes, they will fly separately” was really not wrong! With this, she straggled and stood up from. the boy's body keeping from the pains and slowly ran away without glancing at the boy.
At the time, the boy was calling the girl's name in a weak voice, his lips were already white. He took out his mobile phone and dialed the girl's number, but the girl didn't answer. He dialed again she didn't answer again. For several times, he gave up. But his fingers pressed something on the mobile. At that time, beside the boy, the blood spread slowly, his hand hung and the mobile phone lay in the blood, he had no strength to press the “SENT” key yet.
The next day, when the girl heard of the news that the boy was being rescued, she ran to the hospital without considering her anger. When she hurried to the hospital, the doctor had already declared his death; the cause of his death was that his lung had lost too much blood.
It was because, when the boy meant to protect the girl with his body he found that there was a steel stick under them, so he turned over to make it inset(="put" into) his own body.
The boy's mother passed the boy's mobile phone on to the gift.
The girl read the message that hadn't been sent: “Honey, I'm sorry, I still couldn't protect you and made you wound... “Upon this, the girl couldn't help crying...
Please treasure the one you love and believe his or her LOVE!
【小題1】The underlined word fractured here probably means ___________.

A．shaken

B．broken

C．a(chǎn)bandoned

D．touched

【小題2】The girl didn't want to answer the boy's' call because ____________.

A．she didn't hear it	B．she was seriously hurt
C．she was angry with him	D．she had her phone broken

【小題3】Which of the following words may best describe the boy’s behavior?

A．gentle and devoted	B．brave and handsome
C．rough and selfish	D．intelligent but silly

【小題4】From this passage we can conclude that          .

A．love is happy and love is pain

B．trust is important between lovers

C．one should express his love in time

D．one should love a person who is brave

It was the afternoon of December 24, the day before Christmas; and as the newest doctor in our office, I had to work. The only thing that brightened my day was the beautifully decorated Christmas tree in our waiting room and a gift sent to me by a fellow I was dating — a dozen long-stemmed red roses.
As I was cleaning my office,  I was told a lady urgently needed to speak with me. As I stepped out, I noticed a young, tired-looking woman with a baby in her arms. Nervously, she explained that her husband — a prisoner in a nearby prison — was my next patient. She told me she wasn’t allowed to visit her husband in prison and that he had never seen his son. Her request was for me to let the boy’s father sit in the waiting room with her as long as possible before I called him for his appointment. Since my schedule wasn’t full, I agreed. After all, it was Christmas Eve.
A short time later, her husband arrived — with chains on his feet and hands, and two armed guards as bodyguards. The woman’s tired face lit up like our little Christmas tree when her husband took a seat beside her. I kept glancing out to watch them laugh, cry and share their child. After almost an hour, I called the prisoner back to my office. The patient seemed like a gentle and modest man. I wondered what he possibly could have done to be held under such conditions. I tried to make him as comfortable as possible.
At the end of the appointment, I wished him a Merry Christmas-a difficult thing to say to a man headed back to prison. He smiled and thanked me. He also said he felt saddened by the fact he hadn’t been able to get his wife anything for Christmas. On hearing this, I was inspired with a wonderful idea.
I’ll never forget the look on both their faces as the prisoner gave his wife the beautiful, long-stemmed roses. I’m not sure who experienced the most joy — the husband in giving, the wife in receiving, or myself in having the opportunity to share in this special moment.
【小題1】What can be inferred from the first paragraph?

A．The writer was a newcomer to her office.

B．A fellow sent her a dozen red roses as Christmas present.

C．She was in low spirits because she had to work before Christmas.

D．She was at work with a light heart.

【小題2】The young woman came to the writer’s office for the purpose of         .

A．having her baby examined

B．giving her husband a chance to make his escape

C．having her husband examined

D．getting a chance for her family to get together

【小題3】The underlined part in paragraph 3 most probably means “        ”

A．to be sent to hospital	B．to be separated from his family
C．to be comfortable	D．to become a prisoner

【小題4】What does the writer learn from the story?

A．The wife experienced the most joy in receiving

B．An act of kindness can mean a lot

C．The prisoner was treated with mercy

D．Whoever breaks the law should be punished