A morning rarely began so perfect. I took in the fresh air and felt my heart run into an enthusiastic rhythm. Though cool, the sun warmed my back as it rose over the horse from not far from my house. The slightest wind danced on my skin. Just enough to keep a runner form overheating. My ever-faithful jogging partner, a black dog named Nika pulled my leg with her mouth, mirroring my eagerness to start our run.
We raced forward with determination, ready to leap tall buildings and race against speeding trains. We pushed harder and ran faster, demonstration our skill and impressing passing motorists and neighbors.
We kept on running until we hit the Beast, a name for a very difficult, nearly two-mile long steep climb.
Only a few paces into the Beast, I gasped for air. Far short of superhero status, my enthusiasm and active steps were lost somewhere at the base of the hill. A vision of the newspaper and a cup of coffee waiting in my kitchen appeared, attracting me to turn back toward home.
With a glance I noticed Nika wasn’t doing any better. She continued to faithfully follow me, putting one paw in front of the other, but without her former eagerness. Her tiredness touched me. And in that moment, I felt a sudden spark of renewed determination to press on. I couldn’t allow this mountain to get the better of us. To improve both our spirits, I managed to shout, “Good girl, Nika! Keep going…you can do it!”
“I’m encouraging a dog, for heaven’s sake!’’ I needed to pull myself together. With a few simple words, I changed our course. One moment we were on the edge of quitting. The next, our feet picked up the pace and we continued. Though tired and discouraged myself, with a few kind words I impacted a dog’s ability to go further. I’m sure I could have completed the opposite with ill-chosen comments and an unpleasant tone. Instead, the Beast was defeated and we flew like heroes the rest of the way home.
Life is full of beasts to conquer. For some, it is the seemingly impossible climb of cancer. For others, their beast takes the shape of parenting a child or a teenager. Uphill climbs come in all shapes and sizes, common only in their ability to defeat, discourage and tempt tired travelers to quit. Sometimes all that’s needed is a few spoken, well-timed words of encouragement from a fellow runner – someone who sees the struggle, dares to jogs alongside, and cares enough to say, “Keep going! You can do it! You’re not alone. I believe in you!”
【小題1】 The writer starts the text by describing________.

B
　　It was Monday. Mrs Smith's dog was hungry, but there was not any meat in the house.
　　Considering that there was no better way, Mrs Smith took a piece of paper, and wrote the following words on it:“Give my dog half a pound of meat.”Then she gave the paper to her dog and said gently:“Take this to the butcher(*person whose job is selling meat). and he's going to give you your lunch today.”
　　Holding the piece of paper in its mouth, the dog ran to the butcher's. It gave the paper to the butcher. The butcher read it carefully, recognized that it was really the lady's handwriting and soon did it as he was asked to. The dog was very happy, and ate the meat up at once.
　　At noon, the dog came to the shop again. It gave the butcher a piece of paper again. After reading it， he gave it half a pound of meat once more.
　　The next day, the dog came again exactly at noon. And as usual, it brought a piece of paper in the mouth. This time, the butcher did not take a look at paper, and gave the dog its meat, for he had regarded the dog as one of his customers (*people who buy sth. from a shop).
　　But, the dog came again at four o'clock. And the same thing happened once again. To the butcher's more surprise, it came for the third time at six o'clock, and brought with it a third piece of paper. The butcher felt a bit puzzled. He said to himself, “This is a small dog. Why does Mrs Smith give it so much meat to eat today?”
　　Looking at the piece of paper, he found that there were not any words on it!
59. Mrs Smith treated her little dog quite_________.
　　A. cruelly 　　B. fairly 　　C. kindly 　　D. politely
60 . It seemed that the dog knew well that the paper Mrs Smith gave it_______.
　　A. might do it much harm　　B. could do it much good
　　C. would help the butcher　　D. was worth many pounds
61 .The butcher did not give any meat to the dog __________.
　　A. before he felt sure that the words were really written by Mrs Smith
　　B. when he found that the words on the paper were not clear
　　C. because he had sold out all the meat in his shop
　　D. until he was paid enough by Mrs Smith
62.From its experience, the dog found that ________.
　　A. only the paper with Mrs Smith's words in it could bring it meat
　　B. the butcher would give the meat to it whenever he saw it
　　C. Mrs Smith would pay for the meat it got from the butcher
　　D. a piece of paper could bring it half a pound of meat
63.At the end of the story, you'll find that _______.
　　A. the dog was clever enough to write on the paper
　　B. the dog dared not go to the butcher's any more
　　C. the butcher was told not to give any meat to the dog
　　D. the butcher found himself cheated(*act in a way that is not honest)by the                  clever animal

(C)
Everyone gathered around and Paddy read out loud, skowly, his tone growing sadder and sadder. The little  headline said: BOXER  RECEIVFS LIFF SENTENCE.
Frank Cleary.aged 26,professional baxer. was today found guilty of the murder of Albert  Cumming . aged 32,laborer ,last July. The jury (陪審團(tuán))reached its decision after only ten minutes, recommending the most sever punishment the court could give out.It was, said the judge.a simple case. Cummjng and Cleary had quarreled violently at  the Harbour Hotel on July 23rd and police saw Cleary kicking at the head of the unconscious cumming.  When arrested  Cleary was drunk but clear-thinking…
Cleary was sentenced to life imprisonment with hard labour .Asked if he had anything to say , Cleary answered，“Jusr don't tell my mother.”
It happened over three years ago, " Paddy said helplessly.  No one answered him or moved.for no one knew  what to do. "Jus  don't tell my mother. said  Fee numbly. "And no one did!Oh. God! My poor. poor Frank!"
Paddy wiped the tears from his face and said. 'Fee dear, pack your things. We'll go to see him.
She half-rose before sinking back. her eyes in her small white face stared as if dead. "I can't  go . she said without a hint of pain . yet making evcryone feel that the pain was there.  "It would kill him to see me. I know him so well - his pride. his ambition. Let him bear the shame alone.it's what he wants.  We've got to help him keep his secret.  What good will it do him keep his secret what good will it do him to see us? "
Paddy was still weeping. buL not for Frank,  for the life which had gone from Fee's face .for the dying in her eyes. Frank had always brougt bitterness and misfortune ,always stood between Fee and himseLf.  He was the cause of her withdrawal from his hart and the hearts of his children.
Every time it lookcd as if there might be happinegs for Fee . Frank took it away.  But Paddy's love for her was as deep and impossibile to wipe out as hers was for Fiank.
So he said.  " Well,  Fee,  we won't  go  But we must make sure he is taken care of.  How about if l write to Father Jones and ask him to look out for Frank?
The eyes didn't liven .  but a faint pink stole into her cheeks  " Yes.  Paddy.  
Do that .  Only make sure he knows not to tell Frank we found out .Perhaps it would ease Frank to think for certain that we don't know"
51. Which of the following is true according to the passage?
A. Frank was found guilty Of murder because he was a professional boxer.
B. The family didn't find out what happened to Frank until three years later
C. The jury and the judge disagreed on whether Frank had committed murder.
D. Frank didn't want his family to find out what happened because Paddy disliked him.
52. Paddy didn't cry for Frank because he thought
       A. Frank did kill someone and deserved the punishment
B .Frank should have told Fce what had happened
C. what had happened to Frank was killing Fee
D. Frank had always been a man of bad moral character
53. Which of the following suggests that Fee was deeply shocked by what happened to Frank?
A.  " Her eyes in her small white face stared as if dead. "
B.  " Let him bear the shame alone . its what he wants. "
C.  " Every time it looked as if there miLhL be happiness for Fee , Frank took it away "
D.  " The eyes didn't liven .  but a faint pink stole into her cheeks "
54. "She half-rose before sinking back…" (in Paragraph 6) shows that
A. Fee was so heart-broken that she could hardly stand up
B .Fee didn'e want to upset Paddy by visiting Frank
C .Fee couldn't leave her family to go to see Frank
D Fee struggled betwccn wanting to See Frank and respecting his wish
55.  What is Fee's probable relationship with Frank and Paddy?
A Son and brother   B Son and husband
C Brothcr and lover  D Lover and husband

B
Mom was a teacher most of her life. When she wasn’t in the classroom, she was educating her children or grandchildren: correcting our grammar; starting us on collections of butterflies, flowers or rocks; or inspiring a discussion on her most recent “Book of the Month Club” topic. Mom made learning fun.
It was sad for my three brothers and me to see her ailing in her later years. At eighty-five, she suffered a stroke and she went steadily downhill after that.
Two days before she died, my brothers and I met at her nursing home and took her for a short ride in a wheelchair. While we waited for the staff to lift her limp body back into bed, Mom fell asleep. Not wanting to wake her, we moved to the far end of the room and spoke softly.
After several minutes our conversation was interrupted by a muffled sound coming from across the room. We stopped talking and looked at Mom. Her eyes were closed, but she was clearly trying to communicate with us. We went to her side.
“Whirr,” she said weakly.
“Where?” I asked. “Mom, is there something you want?” “Whirr,” she repeated a bit stronger. My brothers and I looked at each other and shook our heads sadly.
Mom opened her eyes, sighed, and with all the energy she could muster said, “Not was, say were!”
It suddenly occurred to us that Mom was correcting brother Jim’s last sentence. “If it was up to me…”
Jim leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Thanks, Mom,” he whispered. We smiled at each other and once again shook our heads…this time in awe of a remarkable teacher.
44．When Mom said, “Whirr”, what did she really want to do?
A. She wanted to tell her sons her will.
B. She wanted to have something to eat before she died.
C. She wanted to correct the mistakes Jim made while talking.
D. She wanted to teach her sons more because she was dying.
45. Which of the following statements is NOT right?
A.    Mom was a good teacher and never wanted to stop her teaching.
B.    Mom was always making her teaching fun.
C.    Mom didn’t forget her teaching until she died.
D.    Mom was no longer a teacher when she was at home.
46. What does the writer think of his mother?
A.    He loved her but was tired of his mother’s teaching at home.
B.    His mother should forget her teaching and enjoyed the rest of her life.
C.    His mother was great because she devoted herself to teaching.
D.    His mother was an excellent teacher before she was retired.
47. Which of the following is the best title of this passage?
A. Once a teacher, always…  B. Mom’s will  C. A teacher’s life  D. A teacher’s devotion

D
　There was a story many years ago of a school teacher--- Mrs. Thompson. She told the children on the first day that she loved them all the same. But that was a lie. There in the front row was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard. He didn’t play well with the other children and he always needed a bath. She did not like him.
Then Mrs. Thompson got to know that Teddy was actually a very good boy before the death of his mother. Mrs. Thompson was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when, like all her other students, Teddy brought her a Christmas present too. It was his mother’s perfume.
Teddy said, “Mrs. Thompson, today you smell just like my Mom used to.” After the children left ，she cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she stopped teaching reading, writing and math. Instead, she began to teach children.
Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. The boy’s mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he improved. By the end of the sixth grade, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class.
Six years went by before she got a note from Teddy. He wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life. He went to college. Mrs. Thompson got two more letters from him with the last one signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, M. D.
The story doesn’t end there. On his wedding day, Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson’s ear, “Thank you, Mrs. Thompson, for believing in me. You made me feel important and showed me that I could make a difference.”
Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back, “Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn’t know how to teach until I met you.”
68. What did Mrs. Thompson do on the first day of school?
A. She made Teddy feel ashamed.
B. She asked the children to play with Teddy.
C. She changed Teddy’s seat to the front row.
D. She told the class something untrue about herself.
69. What did Mrs. Thompson find out about Teddy?
A. He often told lies.  
B. He was good at math. 
C. He needed motherly care.  
D. He enjoyed playing with others.
70. In what way did Mrs. Thompson change?
A. She taught fewer school subjects.
B. She became stricter with her students.
C. She no longer liked her job as a teacher.
D. She cared more about educating students.
71. Why did Teddy thank Mrs. Thompson at his wedding?
A. She had kept in touch with him.
B. She had given him encouragement.
C. She had sent him Christmas presents.
D. She had taught him how to judge people.