One spring, when I was 10, during one of my father's layoffs, I could tell my mother was dispiriteD．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 Mather's Day present．
"Do you think she'd like a purse?" she askeD．I told her．I thought she might．
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 bucks," I said．
“You’re in luck,” she told me． "It's only $11． You have a dollar left over for the card．" She gift-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 bad 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?

A．She wasn't expecting a gift from her son．

B．The purse was bought from the Agins．

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

【小題4】Which of the following 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 Kind-hearted Shop Owner．

Pete Richards was the loneliest man in town on the day that little Jean Grace opened the door of his shop.
Pete's grandfather had owned the shop until his death. Then the shop became Pete's. The front window was full of beautiful old things: jewelry of a hundred years ago, gold and silver boxes, carved figures from China and Japan and other nations.
On this winter afternoon, a child stood there, her face close to the window. With large and serious eyes, she studied each piece in the window. Then, looking pleased, she stepped back from the window and went into the shop. Pete himself stood behind the counter. His eyes were cold as he looked at the small girl. “Please,” she began, “would you let me look at the pretty string of blue beads in the window?” Pete took the string of blue beads from the window. The beads were beautiful against his hand as he held the necklace up for her to see.
“They are just right,” said the child as though she were alone with the beads. “Will you wrap them up in pretty paper for me, please? I've been looking for a really wonderful Christmas present for my sister.”
“How much money do you have?” asked Pete.
She put a handful of pennies on the counter. “This is all I have,” she explained simply. “I've been saving the money for my sister's present.”
Pete looked at her, his eyes thoughtful. Then he carefully closed his hand over the price mark on the necklace so that she could not see it. How could he tell her the price? The happy look in her big blue eyes struck him like the pain of an old wound.
“Just a minute,” he said and went to the back of the shop. “What's your name?” he called out. He was very busy about something.
“Jean Grace,” answered the child.
When Pete returned to the front of the shop, he held a package in his hand. It was wrapped in pretty Christmas paper.
“There you are,” he said. “Don't lose it on the way home.”
She smiled happily at him as she ran out of the door. Through the window he watched her go. He felt more alone than ever.
Something about Jean Grace and her string of beads had made him feel once more the pain of his old grief. The child's hair was as yellow as the sunlight; her eyes were as blue as the sea. Once upon a time, Pete had loved a girl with hair of that same yellow and with eyes just as blue. And the necklace of blue stones had been meant for her.
But one rainy night, a car had gone off the road and struck the girl. After she died, Pete felt that he had nothing left in the world except his grief. The blue eyes of Jean Grace brought him out of that world of self-pity and made him remember again all that he had lost. The pain of remembering was so great that Pete wanted to run away from the happy Christmas shoppers who came to look at his beautiful old things during the next ten days.
When the last shopper had gone, late on Christmas Eve, the door opened and a young woman came in. Pete could not understand it, but he felt that he had seen her before. Her hair was sunlight yellow and her eyes were sea-blue. Without speaking, she put on the counter a package wrapped in pretty Christmas paper. When Pete opened the package, the string of blue beads lay again before him.
“Did this come from your shop?” she asked.
Pete looked at her with eyes no longer cold. “Yes, it did,” he said.
“Are the stones real?”
“Yes. They aren't the best turquoise(綠松石), but they are real.”
“Can you remember to whom you sold them?”
“She was a small girl. Her name was Jean. She wanted them for her sister's Christmas present.”
“How much were they?”
“I can't tell you that,” he said. “The seller never tells anyone else what a buyer pays.”
“But Jean has never had more than a few pennies. How could she pay for them?”
“She paid the biggest price one can ever pay,” he said.
For a moment there was no sound in the little shop. Then somewhere in the city, church bells began to ring. It was midnight and the beginning of another Christmas Day.
“But why did you do it?” the girl asked.
Pete put the package into her hands.
“There is no one else to whom I can give a Christmas present,” he said. “It is already Christmas morning. Will you let me take you to your home? I would like to wish you a Merry Christmas at your door.”
And so, to the sound of many bells, Pete Richards and a girl whose name he had not yet learned walked out into the hope and happiness of a new Christmas Day.
【小題1】When Pete saw Jean Grace, he was ______.

A．very enthusiastic, hoping for some business to be done

B．cold but he still served the young customer

C．cold, unwilling to serve the young customer

D．very warm to the young customer though he did not want to sell anything to her

【小題2】Pete did not say the price of the necklace because ______.

A．the seller never tells anyone else what a buyer pays

B．he priced the necklace too high

C．he knew it would disappoint the girl

D．he didn't want to sell the necklace

【小題3】The eyes of Jean Grace brought Pete out of his world of self-pity and he ______.

A．tried to forget the memory of his sweetheart

B．began to look at the world optimistically

C．remembered his lost love

D．no longer felt the pain in him

【小題4】A young woman came into the shop because ______.

A．she was afraid that there might be some mistake

B．she thought that the stones she had bought were not real

C．she was not sure if she could get more stones like those

D．she did not like what she had once bought

【小題5】By saying “She paid the biggest price one can ever pay,” Pete meant that Jean Grace    .

A．gave the most money for the necklace

B．gave all she had with her for the necklace

C．a(chǎn)ppreciated the value of the necklace

D．wanted to have the best thing in the shop

【小題6】 At the end of the story we see that Pete _____.

A．found another girl that he could trust

B．met someone who truly loved him

C．found a place to go at last

D．regained his ability to love

when Frida Kahlo's painting were on show in London, a poet described her paintings as " a ribbon（絲帶） around a bomb". Such comments seem to suggest Kahlo had a big influence on the art world of her time. Sadly, she is actually a much bigger name today than she was during her time.
Born in 1907 in a village near Mexico City, Kahlo suffered from polio(小兒麻癖) at the age of seven. Her spine（脊柱） became bent as she grew older . Then, in 1925, her back was broken in several places in a school-bus accident. Throughout the rest of her life, the artist had many operations, but nothing was able to cure the terrible pain in her back. However, the accident had an unexpected side effect. While lying in her bed recovering, Kahlo taught herself to paint.
In 1929, she got married to Diego Rivera, another famous Mexico artist. Rivera's strong influence on Kahlo's style can be seen in her early works, but her later works from the 1940s, known today as her best works, show less influence from her husband.
Unfortunately, her works did not attract much attention in the 1930s and 1940s, even in her home country. Her first one-woman show in Mexico was not held until 1953. For more than a decade after her death in 1954, Kahlo's works remained largely unnoticed by the world, but in the 1970s her works began to gain international fame at last.
【小題1】What does the phrase “ a much bigger name” in Paragraph 1 most nearly mean?

A．a(chǎn) far better artist	B．a(chǎn) far more gifted artist
C．a(chǎn) much stronger person	D．a(chǎn) much more famous person

【小題2】The terrible pain Kahlo suffered was caused by        .

A．polio	B．her bent spine
C．back injuries	D．the operations she had

【小題3】Kahlo’s style had become increasingly independent since the          .

A．1930s

B．1940s

C．1950s

D．1970s

【小題4】What is the author’s attitude toward Kahlo?

A．devotion.

B．sympathy

C．worry.

D．encouragement.

RESUME(履歷) DOUGLAS V. FERNETTI Address: 636 Rugar Street  Joliet, Illinois  60451 Date of Birth: June 5, 1960 Height: 6'                  Weight: 195 lbs.     Health: Excellent Phone: 309 876 –0012      Married: Helen       Son: Jim (2) EXPERIENCE 1978 to 1983:  Joliet Bridge Company, Joliet, Illinois. Began as an learner and became accomplished journey-man pattern maker. 1983 to Present: Joliet Bridge Company, Joliet, Illinois. Promoted to Forman, Pattern Division. Responsibilities include the supervision of fourteen personnel, maintaining work schedules and making assignments, maintaining stock inventories, and supervising two learners. PERSONAL ACTIVITIES From 1979 to 1983 attended evening school in order to complete high school education. Received H.S. Diploma from the State University of Illinois in 1983. Since 1983 have attended evening classes at Joliet Community College. Have completed eighteen semester hours credit with nine hours in personnel management. Other activities include regular church attendance, member of ELKS, and help with Little League. PERSONAL STATEMENT Although I have been very happy at Joliet Bridge and have had excellent opportunity, it is necessary that I move my family due to my son's allergies (過敏癥). In this respect, desire a position in the Southwest United States. Am willing to consider a position as a pattern maker, tool and die maker, or as a supervisor. My major attributes are my reliability and loyalty to my company and my ability to work with others. REFERENCES References are available upon request.

 
【小題1】What does Douglas do at present in Joliet Bridge Company?

A．Pattern maker	B．Leader of Pattern Division
C．Member of ELKS	D．Learner

【小題2】What was Douglas doing in 1982?

A．Working in Joliet Bridge Company

B．Studying at Joliet Community College

C．Helping with Little League

D．A, B and C

【小題3】Why does Douglas want to leave Joliet Bridge Company?

A．Because he is not satisfied with his present job.

B．Because he has not been successful in the company.

C．Because he does not get along well with his colleagues.

D．Because his son is not used to the weather in Illinois.

【小題4】If you want to know the age of Douglas' son, what can you do?

A．Write to 636 Rugar Street.	B．Telephone 309 876-0012.
C．Ask his wife Helen.	D．Find it in the resume.

It was an autumn morning shortly after my husband and I moved into our first house. Children were upstairs unpacking , and I was looking out of the window at my father moving around mysteriously on the front lawn. My parents lived nearby ,and Dad had visited us several times already. “What are you doing out there?” I called to him .He looked up, smiling. “I’m making you a surprise.” Knowing my father, I thought it could be just about anything. A self-employed jobber, he was always building things out of odds and ends. When we were kids, he always created something surprising for us.
Today, however, Dad would say no more, and caught ups in the busyness of our new life, I eventually forgot about his surprise. Until one gloomy day the following March when I glanced out of the window. Any yet… I saw a dot of blue across the yard. I headed outside for a closer look. They were crocuses (番紅花), throughout the front lawn. Lavender, blue, yellow and my favorite pink ---- little faces moved up and down in the cold wind.
Dad! I smiled, remembering the things he had secretly planted last autumn. He knew how the darkness and dullness of winter always got me down. What could have been more perfectly timely to my needs?
My father’s crocuses bloomed each spring for the next four or five seasons, bringing the same assurance every time they arrived: hard times was almost over. Hold on, keep going, light is coming soon.
Then a spring came with only half the usual blooms. The next spring there were none. I missed the crocuses. I would ask Dad to come over and plant new bulbs. But I never did.
He died suddenly one October day. My family was in deep sorrow, leaning on our faith. I missed him terribly.
Four years passed, and on a dismal spring afternoon I was driving back when I found myself feeling depressed. “You’ve got the winter depression again and you get them every year.” I told myself.
It was Dad’s birthday, and I found myself thinking about him. This was not unusual --- my family often talked about him, remembering how he lived his faith. Once I saw him give his coat to a homeless man.
Suddenly I slowed as I turned into our driveway. I stopped and stared at the lawn. And there on the muddy grass and small gray piles of melting snow, bravely waving in the wind, was one pink crocus.
How could a flower bloom from a bulb more than 18 years old, one that had not blossomed in over a decade? But there was the crocus. Tears filled my eyes as I realized its significance.
Hold on, keep going, light is coming soon. The pink crocus bloomed for only a day. But it built my faith for a lifetime.
【小題1】According to the first three paragraphs, we learn that _________.

A．the writer was unpacking when her father was making the surprise

B．the writer knew what the surprise was because she knew her father

C．it was not the first time that the writer’s father had made a surprise

D．it kept bothering the writer not knowing what the surprise was

【小題2】Which of the following would most probably be the worst time of the year as seen by the writer?

A．Spring.

B．Summer.

C．Autumn.

D．Winter.

【小題3】Which of the following is NOT true, according to the passage?

A．The writer’s father planted the crocus to lift her low spirit.

B．The crocuses bloomed each spring before the writer’s father died.

C．The writer often thought about her father since her father died.

D．The writer’s father died some years after he planted the crocus.

【小題4】The writer’s father should be best described as_________.

A．a(chǎn) full-time gardener with skillful hands

B．a(chǎn) part-time jobber who loved flowers

C．a(chǎn) kind-hearted man who lived with faith

D．a(chǎn)n ordinary man with doubts in his life

【小題5】Crocus was viewed as the symbol of _________ by the writer.

A．faith

B．family

C．love

D．friendship

My husband and I were once in Nepal(尼泊爾)to see sunrise over the Himalayas.
One morning we awoke to total darkness at 5 o’clock.As we rushed through a town with cameras in hand,I noticed the calm,gentle way the Nepalese people greeted the morning.One man boiled a huge pot of milk tea,and other villagers gathered around his fire,cupping their hands around small glasses of the steaming sweet mixture.It was fascinating,but not to be left behind,we joined the stream of tourists moving quickly up to the lookout point.
The top was crowded when we arrived,but after 10 minutes of cold waiting,the assembled group gave up.“The cloud cover is too heavy,”one said.Then one by one they rushed down the hill to the next item on their sightseeing list.I was disappointed as well,but suddenly I noticed a small Nepalese boy absently playing with a stick and shooting quick glances at the clouds.He must know something we don’t,I thought.I decided to wait with him.
The boy and I didn’t have to wait long.Moments later,a tiny stream of golden light burned through one thick cloud,then another.Rose-colored fog warmed the backs of the clouds,and suddenly the morning sun stole a glance around the side of the mountain,mile above where I’d expected it to be.
Nothing I’d seen before prepared me for the moment the clouds withdrew with bowed heads,and the magnificent Himalayas were revealed before,around,and above me.I sat in astonishment,not breathing,not daring to look away,certain that God had placed me here at the backdoor of Earth to show me what Heaven really looks like.I certainly got the message.Never again will I rush a sunrise.I now know Nature will supply her fruits to me only when I am truly ready to receive them.
【小題1】What does “It” in Paragraph 2 most probably imply?

A．The darkness of the town in the morning.

B．The huge pot of milk tea boiling on the fire.

C．The way the local people welcomed the day.

D．The stream of tourists rushing to the lookout point.

【小題2】The author decided to wait with the Nepalese boy because _____.

A．she felt kind of having faith in him

B．the restless tourists disappointed her

C．that boy was praying to the sun with a magic stick

D．she had nothing more to see on her sightseeing list

【小題3】What can be concluded from the passage?

A．Do in Rome as the Romans do.

B．God helps those who help themselves.

C．Time and tide wait for no man.

D．Fortune rewards those having patience.

The light from the campfire brightened the darkness, but it could not prevent the damp cold of Dennis’s Swamp (沼澤地) creeping into their bones. It was a strange place. Martin and Tom wished that they had not accepted Jack’s dare. They liked camping, but not near this swamp.
“So,” Martin asked as they sat watching the hot coals. “How did this place get its name ? ”
“Are you sure you want to hear it ? It’s a scary story,” warned Jack.
“Of course!” cried out Tom. “If there were anything to be scared of, you wouldn’t have chosen this place!”
“Ok, but don’t say I didn’t warn you,” said Jack, and he began this tale.
“Way back in time, a man called Dennis tried to start a farm here. He built that cottage over there to live in . In those days, the area looked quite different ---- it was covered with tall trees and the swamp was a crystal-clear river. After three hard years, Dennis had cleared several fields and planted crops. He was so proud of his success that he refused to listen to advice.
“ ‘You are clearing too much land, ’ warned one old man. ‘ The land is a living thing. It will hit back at you if you abuse it. ’
“ ‘ Silly fool,’ said Dennis to himself. ‘If I clear more land, I can grow more crops. I’ll become wealthier. He’s just jealous!’”
“Dennis continued to chop down trees. Small animals that relied on them for food and shelter were destroyed. He was so eager to expand his farm that he did not notice the river flowing slowly towards his door. He did not notice salt seeping to the surface of the land. He did not notice swamp plants choking all the native plants.”
“What happened? ” Martin asked. It was growing colder. He trembled, twisting his body closer to the fire.
“The land hit back ---- just as the old man warned, ” Jack shrugged. “Dennis disappeared Old folks around here believe that swamp plants moved up from the river and dragged him underwater. His body was never found.”
“What a stupid story, ” laughed Tom. “Plants can’t …” Before he had finished speaking, he screamed and fainted (暈倒). The other two boys jumped up with fright, staring at Tom. Suddenly, they burst out laughing. Some green swamp ivy (常春藤) had covered Tom’s face. It was a while before Tom could appreciate the joke.
【小題1】The underlined word “dare” in Paragraph 1 is closed in meaning to ________.

A．courage

B．a(chǎn)ssistance

C．instruction

D．challenge

【小題2】Why did Jack tell Tom and Martin the story?

A．To frighten them.

B．To satisfy their curiosity.

C．To warn them of the danger of the place.

D．To persuade them to camp in the swamp.

【小題3】Why did Dennis ignore the warning of the old man?

A．The old man envied him.

B．The old man was foolish

C．He was too busy to listen to others.

D．He was greedy for more crops.

【小題4】Why did Tom scream and faint?

A．He saw Dennis’s shadow

B．He was scared by a plant

C．His friends played a joke on him.

D．The weather became extremely cold.

【小題5】What lesson can we learn from the story of Dennis?

A．Grasp all, lose all.

B．No sweat, no sweet.

C．It is no use crying over spilt milk.

D．He who makes no mistakes makes nothing.

LONDON---A British judge on Thursday sentenced a businessman who sold fake（假冒的）bomb detectors（探測器）to 10 years in prison, saying the man hadn’t cared about potentially deadly consequences.
It is believed that James McCormick got about $ 77.8 million from the sales of his detectors---which were based on a kind of golf ball finder---to countries including Iraq, Belgium and Saudi Arabia.
McCormick, 57, was convicted（判罪）of cheats last month and sentenced Thursday at the Old Bailey court in London.
“Your cheating conduct in selling a great amount of useless equipment simply for huge profit promoted a false sense of security and in all probability materially contributed to causing death and injury to innocent people,” Judge Richard Hone told McCormick. “You have neither regret, nor shame, nor any sense of guilt.”
The detectors, sold for up to $ 42, 000 each, were said to be able to find such dangerous objects as bombs under water and from the air. But in fact they “l(fā)acked any grounding in science” and were of no use.
McCormick had told the court that he sold his detectors to the police in Kenya, the prison service in Hong Kong, the army in Egypt and the border control in Thailand.
“I never had any bad results from customers,” he said.
【小題1】Why was McCormick sentenced to prison?

A．He sold bombs.	B．He caused death of people.
C．He made detectors.	D．He cheated in business.

【小題2】According to the judge, what McCormick had done         .

A．increased the cost of safeguarding

B．lowered people’s guard against danger

C．changed people’s idea of social security

D．caused innocent people to commit crimes

【小題3】Which of the following is true of the detectors?

A．They have not been sold to Africa

B．They have caused many serious problems.

C．They can find dangerous objects in water.

D．They don’t function on the basis of science.

【小題4】It can be inferred from the passage that McCormick         .

A．solo the equipment at a low price

B．was well-known in most countries

C．did not think he had committed the crime

D．had not got such huge profit as mentioned in the text

China is a land of bicycles. At least it was back in 1992 when I traveled the country. Back then everyone seemed to be riding a bicycle. Millions of them, all black. Cars were rare. Yet since my arrival in Beijing last year, I’ve found the opposite is true. There are millions of cars. However, people still use their bicycles to get around. For many, it’s the easiest and cheapest way to travel today. Bicycles also come in different colors---silver, green, red, blue, yellow, whatever you want.
It’s fun watching people biking. They rush quickly through crossroads, move skillfully through traffic, and ride even on sidewalks(人行道). Bicycles allow people the freedom to move about that cars just can’t provide.
Eager to be part of this aspect of Chinese culture, I decided to buy a bicycle. Great weather accompanied my great buy. I immediately jumped up on my bicycle seat and started home.
My first ride home was orderly (守秩序的). To be safe, I stayed with a “pack” of bikers while cars on the streets came running swiftly out of nowhere at times. I didn’t want to get hit. So I took the ride carefully.
Crossing the streets was the biggest problem. It was a lot like crossing a major highway back in the United States. The streets here were wide, so crossing took time, skill and a little bit of luck.
I finally made it home. The feeling on the bicycle was amazing. The air hitting my face and going through my hair was wonderful. I was sitting on top of the world as I passed by places and people. Biking made me feel alive.
【小題1】According to the author, why are bicycles still popular in China today?

A．Because they are traditional and safe.

B．Because they are convenient and inexpensive.

C．Because they are colorful and available.

D．Because they are fast and environment friendly.

【小題2】The author decided to buy a bicycle because he intended __________.

A．to ride it for fun	B．to use it for transport
C．to experience local skills	D．to improve his riding skills

【小題3】How did the author feel about his street crossing?

A．It was boring.	B．It was difficult.
C．It was lively.	D．It was wonderful.

【小題4】Which of the following best describes the author’s biking experience?

A．The author enjoyed showing off his biking skills.

B．The author was annoyed by the air while riding.

C．The author was praised by the other bikers.

D．The author took great pleasure in biking.