Have you ever been sad because you failed in something? If so, please remember, for often, achieving what you expect is not the most important thing. Here is a story to tell you why.
One day a little boy decided to dig a hole behind his house after watching a science program. As he was working, a couple of boys stopped by to watch.  "What are you doing?" asked one of the visitors. "I want to dig a deep hole all the way through the earth!" the boy answered excitedly.  The older boys began to laugh, telling him that it was impossible to do it. Then they left.
The little boy kept on digging and digging. Suddenly, a few small colorful stones caught his eyes. He collected them and put them into a glass jar patiently.  Humming a song, he went on digging. The jar was full soon. Then he talked to himself calmly and proudly, "Maybe I can't finish digging all the way through the earth, but look at what I have found in the process (過程) of digging !"
The boy's goal was too difficult, but it did cause him to go on, in other words, to cause us to keep working!
Not every goal will be achieved.  Not every job will end up with a success.  Not every dream will come true.  But when you can't achieve your goal, maybe you can say, "Yes, but look what I've found along the way! There are so many wonderful things that have come into my life because I tried to do something!" It is in the digging that life is lived. is the unexpected joy on the journey that really has a meaning.
【小題1】What did the boy do after watching a program?
A. He bought a glass jar.            
B. He started to dig a hole.
C. He played with some visitors.
【小題2】What did the older boys think of the little boy?
A. He was silly.                     
B. He was strict.
C. He was strong-minded.
【小題3】When did the boy find the stones?
A. Before he met the older boys.     
B. When he wanted to give up digging.
C. After the older boys laughed at him.
【小題4】What does the underlined sentence "It is in the digging that life is lived.” mean according to the article?
A. Life is to make a big success.      
B. Life is to find the colorful stones.
C. Life is on the way to achieve the goal.
【小題5】Which is the best title for this article?
A. Enjoying the Process              
B. How to Achieve Goals
C. A Journey through the Earth

Once there was a huge apple tree. A little boy loved to come and play around it every day. He loved the tree and the tree loved to play with him.

      Time went by --- the little boy had grown up and he no longer played around the tree every day. One day, the boy came back to the tree and he looked sad. “Come and play with me,” the tree asked the boy. “I’m no longer a kid. I wouldn’t play around the tree any more.” the boy replied. “I want toys. I need money to buy them.” “Sorry, I don’t have money. But you can pick all my apples and sell them. So, you will have money.” The boy picked all the apples on the tree and left happily. The boy never came back after he picked the apples.

      One day, the boy returned and the tree was so excited, “Come and play with me,” the tree said. “I don’t have time to play. I have to work for my family. We need a house for shelter. Can you help?” “Sorry, I don’t have a house. But you can cut off my branches to build your house.” So the boy cut all the branches off the tree and left happily. The tree was glad to see him happy but the boy never came back since then. The tree was again lonely and sad.

       One hot summer day, the boy returned and the tree was pleased. “Come and play with me!” the tree said. “I am sad and getting old. I want to go sailing to relax myself. Can you give me a boat?” “Use my trunk to build your boat. You can sail far away and be happy.” So the boy cut the tree trunk to make a boat. He went sailing and never showed up for a long time.

Finally, the boy returned after he left for so many years. “Sorry, my boy. But I don’t have anything for you any more. The only thing left is my dying root,” the tree said with tears ①

“Good! Old tree root is the best place to lean on and rest. Come and sit down with me and rest.” The boy sat down and the tree was glad and smiled with tears ② ----

1.---Why did the boy pick all the apples on the tree?

----Because __________.

A. he wanted to eat them                    B. he needed money to buy toys

C. he liked the tree without apples             D. he wanted to share them with friends.

2.----When did the boy come back to the apple tree?

----He came back _________.

A. whenever he was happy                             B. if he missed the apple tree

C. when he was in times of difficulty                     D. as  soon as he was free

3.----What did the boy want at last?

----He wanted ___________.

A. to have a house to live in             B. nothing except a place to rest

C. the root of the apple tree            D. anything that the apple tree had

4.----What can we learn from the story?

----We should _________.

A. plant more apple trees      B. learn from the boy

C. always stay at home     D. be thankful to our parents

5.According to the passage, which of the following statements is NOT true?

A. The phrase “with tears ①” means that the apple tree was sad because the boy asked for too much.

B. The phrase “with tears ②” means that the apple tree was still happy because she could help the boy for the last time.

C. Each time the boy asked the apple tree for help, the tree tried her best to satisfy him.

D. After reading the passage, we can easily think of the old Chinese saying “Parents’ love is universal!”

Today was not a good day. Everything went wrong. First, I slept late and Mom shouted at me to wake up. When I went to the kitchen for breakfast, there was no cereal. I decided to have some toast instead, but I burned it. I had to eat it anyway because there was no more bread. The juice bottle was empty, so I had a glass of cold water.
When I was getting on a bus, I realized that I had forgotten my wallet, so I had to go back home to get it.
Of course, I missed the bus and had to wait for the next.
I was late for school and the teacher told me to stay in the classroom at lunchtime to catch up on(彌補(bǔ)) the school work I had missed. After lunch, it was time to give the teacher our homework. I reached into my bag to get it, but it wasn’t there. I had left it at home. I was in trouble again.
When I got home, I went straight to my room to catch up on my homework. Mom cooked fish for dinner. She knows I don’t like fish, but she thinks it is good for her son. How terrible! I hope tomorrow will be better.
【小題1】What happened to the boy on this bad day?

Today was not a good day. Everything went wrong. First, I slept late and Mom shouted at me to wake up. When I went to the kitchen for breakfast, there was no cereal. I decided to have some toast instead, but I burned it. I had to eat it anyway because there was no more bread. The juice bottle was empty, so I had a glass of cold water.

When I was getting on a bus, I realized that I had forgotten my wallet, so I had to go back home to get it.

Of course, I missed the bus and had to wait for the next.

I was late for school and the teacher told me to stay in the classroom at lunchtime to catch up on(彌補(bǔ)) the school work I had missed. After lunch, it was time to give the teacher our homework. I reached into my bag to get it, but it wasn’t there. I had left it at home. I was in trouble again.

When I got home, I went straight to my room to catch up on my homework. Mom cooked fish for dinner. She knows I don’t like fish, but she thinks it is good for her son. How terrible! I hope tomorrow will be better.

1.What happened to the boy on this bad day?

        A. He argured with his parents.         B. He heard some bad news.

        C. He burned the kitchen.               D. Many unhappy things happened to him.

2. When did the boy’s bad day begin?

A. In the morning       B. When he was at school    C. At lunchtime.   D. when he got home

3.He didn’t take the bus, instead, he went back home to get _________.

        A. his homework     B. breakfast        C. money        D. his bag

4.How many “terrible” things did the boy mention in this story?

        A. Four             B. Five         C. Seven            D. Ten

Have you ever been sad because you failed in something? If so, please remember, for often, achieving what you expect is not the most important thing. Here is a story to tell you why.

     One day a little boy decided to dig a hole behind his house after watching a science program. As he was working, a couple of boys stopped by to watch.  "What are you doing?" asked one of the visitors. "I want to dig a deep hole all the way through the earth!" the boy answered excitedly.  The older boys began to laugh, telling him that it was impossible to do it. Then they left.

      The little boy kept on digging and digging. Suddenly, a few small colorful stones caught his eyes. He collected them and put them into a glass jar patiently.  Humming a song, he went on digging. The jar was full soon. Then he talked to himself calmly and proudly, "Maybe I can't finish digging all the way through the earth, but look at what I have found in the process (過程) of digging !"

     The boy's goal was too difficult, but it did cause him to go on, in other words, to cause us to keep working!

      Not every goal will be achieved.  Not every job will end up with a success.  Not every dream will come true.  But when you can't achieve your goal, maybe you can say, "Yes, but look what I've found along the way! There are so many wonderful things that have come into my life because I tried to do something!" It is in the digging that life is lived. is the unexpected joy on the journey that really has a meaning.

1.What did the boy do after watching a program?

           A. He bought a glass jar.            

B. He started to dig a hole.

           C. He played with some visitors.

2.What did the older boys think of the little boy?

           A. He was silly.                      

B. He was strict.

           C. He was strong-minded.

3.When did the boy find the stones?

           A. Before he met the older boys.     

 B. When he wanted to give up digging.

           C. After the older boys laughed at him.

4.What does the underlined sentence "It is in the digging that life is lived.” mean according to the article?

           A. Life is to make a big success.      

B. Life is to find the colorful stones.

           C. Life is on the way to achieve the goal.

5.Which is the best title for this article?

           A. Enjoying the Process              

B. How to Achieve Goals

           C. A Journey through the Earth