I tried not to be biased, but I had my doubts about hiring Stevie. His social worker assured me that he would be a good, reliable busboy. But I had never had a mentally handicapped employee. He was short, a little fat with the smooth facial features and thick-tongued speech of Down’s Syndrome (唐氏綜合癥). I thought most of my customers would be uncomfortable around Stevie so I closely watched him for the first few weeks.

I shouldn't have worried. After the first week, Stevie had my staff wrapped around his fat little finger, and within a month my regular truck customers had adopted him as their official truck stop mascot(吉祥物). After that, I really didn't care what the rest of the customers thought of him. He was like a 21-year-old in blue jeans and Nikes, eager to laugh and eager to please, but fierce in his attention to his duties. Every salt and pepper shaker was exactly in its place, not a coffee spill was visible when Stevie got done with the table. Our only problem was persuading him to wait to clean a table until after the customers were finished.

Over time, we learned that he lived with his mother, a widow who was disabled after repeated surgeries for cancer. Money was tight, and what I paid him was probably the difference between them being able to live together and Stevie being sent to a group home.

That's why the restaurant was a gloomy place that morning last August, the first morning in three years that Stevie missed work. He was at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester getting a heart surgery. His social worker said that people with Down’s Syndrome often have heart problems at an early age so this wasn't unexpected, and there was a good chance he would come through the surgery in good shape and be back at work in a few months.

A ripple of excitement ran through the staff later that morning when word came that he was out of surgery, in recovery, and doing fine. Frannie, the head waitress, did a little dance when she heard the good news. Belle Ringer, one of our regular trucker customers, stared at her and asked, "OK, Frannie, what was that all about?"

"We just got word that Stevie is out of surgery and going to be okay."

"I was wondering where he was. I had a new joke to tell him. What was the surgery about?"

Frannie quickly told Belle Ringer and the other two drivers about Stevie's surgery, then sighed: "Yeah, I'm glad he is going to be OK," she said. "But I don't know how he and his Mom are going to handle all the bills. From what I hear, they're barely getting by as it is." Belle Ringer nodded thoughtfully, and Frannie hurried off to wait on the rest of her tables.

After the morning rush, Frannie walked into my office. She had a couple of paper napkins in her hand and a funny look on her face.

"What's up?" I asked.

"I cleared off that table where Belle Ringer and his friends were sitting after they left, and I found this was folded and put under a coffee cup."

She handed the napkin to me, and three $20 bills fell onto my desk when I opened it. On the outside, in big, bold letters, was printed "Something For Stevie".

That was three months ago. Today is Thanksgiving, the first day Stevie is supposed to be back to work. His social worker said he had been counting the days until the doctor said he could work. I arranged to have his mother bring him to work, met them in the parking lot and invited them both to celebrate his day back.

I led them toward a large corner booth. I could feel and hear the rest of the staff following behind as we marched through the dining room. We stopped in front of the big table. Its surface was covered with coffee cups, and dinner plates, all sitting slightly bent on dozens of folded paper napkins.

"First thing you have to do, Stevie, is clean up this mess," I said.

Stevie looked at me, and then at his mother, then pulled out one of the napkins. It had "Something for Stevie" printed on the outside. As he picked it up, two $10 bills fell onto the table. Stevie stared at the money, then at all the napkins peeking from beneath the tableware, each with his name printed on it.

I turned to his mother. "There's more than $10,000 in cash and checks on that table, all from truckers and trucking companies that heard about your problems. "Happy Thanksgiving !"

Well, it got really noisy about that time, with everybody hollering and shouting, and there were a few tears, as well. But you know what's funny?

While everybody else was busy shaking hands and hugging each other, Stevie, with a big, big smile on his face, was busy clearing all the cups and dishes from the table.

55. Which of the following is true about Stevie?   

A. Stevie worked on a bus selling bus fare. 

B. Stevie was a mentally healthy boy.

C. Stevie was bad-tempered because he suffered Down’s Syndrome.               

D. Stevie wiped tables and mopped floors in a restaurant.

56. According to the story, which of the following sentences is true?

A. Stevie made customers uncomfortable.    B. Stevie usually cleaned the table too early

C. Stevie often spilled coffee out of cups.    D. Stevie couldn’t fix his attention on his work.

57. By saying the underlined sentence in Para. 3, the author meant that the money she paid Stevie ________.

A. could help Stevie out of the money trouble. 

B. couldn’t thoroughly solve Stevie’s problem.

C. could make a great difference to Stevie’s life.

D. couldn’t send Stevie to a group home.

58. Why did Frannie sigh after she got word that Stevie would be OK ?

A. She was worried about Stevie’s finance problem.

B. She was worried about Stevie’s health.

C. She was worried that the owner would fire Stevie.

D. She was worried that no one would help Stevie.

59. Why did the author ask Stevie to clean up the mess on the table after he returned?

A. It was Stevie’s duty to clean the table.

B. The table was so dirty that it needed cleaning.

C. Stevie would find the money that was given to him.

D. She wanted to congratulate Stevie on his coming back.

60. Stevie was popular among the staff and customers in the restaurant because of ______.

A. his special appearance.           B. his hard work and optimism.

C. his funny speeches and actions.    D. his kind-hearted behaviours.

My father was 44 and knew he wasn’t going to make it to 45. He wrote me a letter and hoped that something in it would help me for the rest of my life.

Since the day I was 12 and first read his letter, some of his words have lived in my heart. Only part always times out. “Right now, you are pretending to be a time-killer. But I know that one day, you will do something great that will set you among the very best.” Knowing that my dad believed in me gave me permission to believe in myself. “You will do something great.” He didn’t know what that would be, and neither did I, but at times in my life when I’ve felt proud of myself, I remember his words and wish he were here so I could ask. “Is this what you were talking about, Dad? Should I keep going?”

A long way from 12 now, I realize he would have been proud when I made any progress. Lately, though , I’ve come to believe he’d want me to move on to what comes next: to be proud of, and believe in, somebody else. It’s time to start writing my own letters to my children. Our children look to us with the same unanswered question we had. Our kids don’t hold back because they’re afraid to fail. They’re only afraid of failing us. They don’t worry about being disappointed. Their fear－as mine was until my father’s letter－is of being a disappointment.

Give your children permission to succeed. They’re writing for you to believe in them. I always knew my parents loved me. But trust me. That belief will be more complete, that love will be more real, and their belief in themselves will be greater if you write the words on their hearts; “Don’t worry; you’ll do something great.” Not having that blessing from their parents may be the only thing holding them back.

We learn from the text that the author _________      

A. lost his father when he was young

B. Worked hard before he read his father's letter

C. Asked his father's permission to believe in himself

D. Knew exactly what great thing his father wanted him to do

What does the author tell us in the 3rd paragraph? 

A. Children need their parents’ letters.    

B. Children are afraid to be disappointed.

C. His children’s fear of failure held them back.

D. His father’s letter removed his fear of failing his parents.

Which of the following is true of the author? 

A. He got no access to success.         B. He wrote back to his father at 12.

C. He was sure his parents loved him.    D. He once asked his father about the letter.

The main purpose of the text is to _______.

A. describe children’s thinking             B. answer some questions children have

C. stress the importance of communication   D. advise parents to encourage their children

My father was 44 and knew he wasn’t　going to male it to 45. He wrote me a letter and hoped that something in it would help me for  the  rest  of my life.

Since the day 1 was 12 and first read his letter, some of his words have lived in my

beart. One it aways times out. “Right now, you are pretending to be a time-killer. But I know that one hay, you will do something great that will set you among the very best.” Knowing that my dad believed in me gave me permission to believe in myself. “You will do something great.” He didn’t know what that would be, and neither did I, but at times in my life when I’ve felt proud of myself, I remember his words and wish he were here so I could ask. “Is this what you were talking about, Dad? Should I keep going?”

A long way frim 12 now, I realize hew would have been proud when I made any progress. Lately, thongn. I’ve come to believe he’d want me to move on to winat com next: to be nrood of and believe in, somebody else. It’s time to start writing my own letters to my children. Our children look to us with the same unanswered question we had. Our kids don’t  hold back because they’re afraid to fail. They’re only afraid of failing us. They don’t worry about being disappointed. Their fear－as mine was until my father’s letter－is of being a disappointment.

Give your chikdren permission to succeed. They’re witing for you to believe in them. I always knew way parents loved me. But trust my That elic will be more comlece, that love will be more real, and their belief in the nelces whi be greater if you write the words on their hearts; “Don’t worry; you’ll do something great.” Not having that blessing from their parents may be the only thing holding them back.

1.We learn from the text that the author___________.

A.lost his father when he was young

B.worked hard before he read his father’s letter

C.asked his father permission to believe in himself

D.knew execty at thing his father wanted him to do

2.What clis the hor tell us in the 3rd passgiaph?

A.Children need their parents’letters.

B.Children are afraid to be disappointcd.

C.His children’s fear of failure held them back.

D.His father’s letter removed his fear of failing his parents.

3.Which of the following is true of the author?

A.He got no access to success.

B.He wrote back to his father at 12.

C.He was surk his parents loved him.

D.He whce asked his father about the letter.

4.The main purpose of the text is to _______.

A. describe children’s thinking

B.answer some questions children have

C.stress the importance of communication

D.advise parents to encourage their children