Ma Yan is not really a writer. But this 15-year-old girl has written a book that has moved many people around the world. “Ma Yan’s Diary” tells us about Ma’s life. She lives in a poor village called Zhangjiashu in Tongxin, Ningxia, and she has no money to go to school. But she is brave and has a strong desire（欲望）to go to school.
Her mother gave her diary to a French reporter, Pierre Haski when he went to Zhangjisshu in 2001. Now, it has been published（出版） in France Italy, Germany, Japan and China.
Ma is now a Junior Three student at Yuwang Middle School in Tongxin. Before this, she had to leave school twice. When she had to stop going to school the first time, her mum told her there was no money for her to go to school. She worked for 21 days and saved 13 yuan. With this money, she went back to school. The second time, her family told her she had to leave school but her two brothers could stay.
“I want to study,” Ma wrote in her diary. “Why can boys study but girls can’t? It would be wonderful if I could stay at school forever.”
Ma loves school so much because she wants to have a better life.
“My parents work hard in the fields but they are still poor. They have no knowledge. Most girls in my village leave school early and get married young. I don’t want that kind of life,” Ma said.
After her story became known, many French student sent money to her. Ma’s dream is the same as ever. She hopes to go to Tsinghua University and become a reporter. “Then , I can find poor kids like me and help them, ” she said.
【小題1】Which of the following can describe Ma Yan’s character（性格）best?

Ma Yan is not really a writer. But this 15-year-old girl has written a book that has moved many people around the world. “Ma Yan’s Diary” tells us about Ma’s life. She lives in a poor village called Zhangjiashu in Tongxin, Ningxia, and she has no money to go to school. But she is brave and has a strong desire（欲望）to go to school.

Her mother gave her diary to a French reporter, Pierre Haski when he went to Zhangjisshu in 2001. Now, it has been published（出版） in France Italy, Germany, Japan and China.

Ma is now a Junior Three student at Yuwang Middle School in Tongxin. Before this, she had to leave school twice. When she had to stop going to school the first time, her mum told her there was no money for her to go to school. She worked for 21 days and saved 13 yuan. With this money, she went back to school. The second time, her family told her she had to leave school but her two brothers could stay.

“I want to study,” Ma wrote in her diary. “Why can boys study but girls can’t? It would be wonderful if I could stay at school forever.”

Ma loves school so much because she wants to have a better life.

“My parents work hard in the fields but they are still poor. They have no knowledge. Most girls in my village leave school early and get married young. I don’t want that kind of life,” Ma said.

After her story became known, many French student sent money to her. Ma’s dream is the same as ever. She hopes to go to Tsinghua University and become a reporter. “Then , I can find poor kids like me and help them, ” she said.

1.Which of the following can describe Ma Yan’s character（性格）best?

A. Brave.B. Pretty.C. Lucky.D. Poor.

2.Now you can find “Ma Yan’s Diary” in all the following countries except (除了)_____.

A. GermanyB. BritainC. JapanD. France

3.Which of the following is the main（主要的） reason for Ma Yan’s Diary to be published?

A. Her mother gave her enough money to publish the book.

B. She wrote about the poor life in her village.

C. She is very good at writing.

D. Her diary was read by a French reporter.

4.Which is the reason for her leaving school for the second time?

A. She had to help her mother do some housework.

B. Her brothers studied better than she did.

C. Girls were not equally treated（平等對待）in their village.

D. She didn’t study hard.

5.Ma Yan wants to study because she wants to __________.

A. teach her parents knowledge

B. get more money for her study in Tsinghua University

C. become more famous

D. get more knowledge to change her own life

Last month when I was taking part in a US college interview, I was asked, “ what makes you special ? ” In fact I had answered questions likes this many times since I decided to go to college in the US .college paid special attention to different achievement . For example, a person who is very good at math can go to a famous college but also can be a good football player .
This experience made me think again that I must try to find where my own interests might lead me . To be honest, it was not easy . However, I never felt sorry to choose this way because it helped me understand myself . If I took the College Entrance Examination,as we call it gaokao in China, it could never possibly do .
When I entered high school, I took gaokao seriously because it seemed to me a great way to show how good at my lessons . However,as I grew older, I realized gaokao did make me work hard at my lessons, but the pressure also pushed many other activities out of my life, like guitar―playing . Although I had no time for it, I will still get to it in the future .
No doubt, gaokao provides a way of choosing those who are successful in their studies . But it is really important for all of us to rethink what “ talent ” really is today . This is because we now live in a world in which all of our other human qualities ( 品質(zhì)）are needed for success, not just the high grade .
Ken Robinson once said, “ the society depends on different kinds of talents . ”  However, gaokao pays too attention  to a person’s grades but little to his other qualities. And it is these qualities that makes life colorful and fun .
As high school students, we can not change the present situation of eduction, but we are always free to think outside of the box . Although good school grade is still useful, I hope one day we will see our education also welcomes the amazing possibilities in different people .
【小題1】The US College pay special attention to ________.

Last month when I was taking part in a US college interview, I was asked, “ what makes you special ? ” In fact I had answered questions likes this many times since I decided to go to college in the US .college paid special attention to different achievement . For example, a person who is very good at math can go to a famous college but also can be a good football player .

This experience made me think again that I must try to find where my own interests might lead me . To be honest, it was not easy . However, I never felt sorry to choose this way because it helped me understand myself . If I took the College Entrance Examination,as we call it gaokao in China, it could never possibly do .

When I entered high school, I took gaokao seriously because it seemed to me a great way to show how good at my lessons . However,as I grew older, I realized gaokao did make me work hard at my lessons, but the pressure also pushed many other activities out of my life, like guitar―playing . Although I had no time for it, I will still get to it in the future .

No doubt, gaokao provides a way of choosing those who are successful in their studies . But it is really important for all of us to rethink what “ talent ” really is today . This is because we now live in a world in which all of our other human qualities ( 品質(zhì)）are needed for success, not just the high grade .

Ken Robinson once said, “ the society depends on different kinds of talents . ”  However, gaokao pays too attention  to a person’s grades but little to his other qualities. And it is these qualities that makes life colorful and fun .

As high school students, we can not change the present situation of eduction, but we are always free to think outside of the box . Although good school grade is still useful, I hope one day we will see our education also welcomes the amazing possibilities in different people .

1.The US College pay special attention to ________.

A．students’family background .

B．the different achievement

C．students’ideas about way of life .

D．the school a student is from .

2.When at high school, the writer ________.

A．had a lot of activities .

B．did not work hard at her lessons .

C．did well in gaokao

D．had no time to play the guitar .

3.From the passage, we know that the writer may ________.

A．go to college in America .

B．give up the US college interview .

C．become a good football player in the US.

D．change the present situation of eduction .

4.Which of the following might be the best title for the passage?

A. My school life abroad.             B. Different exams in the US.

C My view on gaokao           D. The importance of school grades