【推荐1】An eight-year-old child heard her parents talking about her little brother. All she knew was that he was very sick and they had no money. Only very expensive operation could save him now and there was no one to lend them the money.

When she heard her daddy say to her tearful mother, “Only a miracle (something couldn’t happen) can save him now,” the little girl went to her bedroom and pulled her money from its hiding place and counted it carefully.

She hurried to a drugstore (药店) with the money in her hand.

“And what do you want?” asked the salesman. “It’s for my little brother,” the girl answered. “He’s really, really sick and I want to buy a miracle.” “Pardon?” said the salesman.

“My brother Andrew has something bad growing in-side his head and my daddy says only a miracle can save him. So how much does a miracle cost?” “We don’t sell a miracle here, child. I’m sorry,” the salesman said with a smile.

“Listen, if it isn’t enough, I can try and get some more. Just tell me how much it costs.”

A well-dressed man heard it and asked, “What kind of a miracle does your brother need?” “I don’t know,” she answered with her eyes full of tears. “He’s really sick and mum says he needs an operation. But my daddy can’t pay for it, so I have brought all my money.”

“How much do you have?” asked the man. “$1.11, but I can try and get some more,” she answered.

“Well, what luck,” smiled the man. “$1.11, the price of a miracle for little brothers.”

He took up the girl’s hand and said, “Take me to where you live. I want to see your brother and meet your parents. Let’s see if I have the kind of miracle you need.”

That well-dressed man was Dr Carlton Armstrong, a famous doctor. The operation was successful and it wasn’t long before Andrew was home again.

How much did the miracle cost?

1. In the eye of the girl, a miracle might be ________.

A．something interesting

B．something beautiful

C．some wonderful medicine

D．some good food

2. What made the miracle happen?

A．The girl’s love for her brother.	B．The girl’s money
C．The medicine from the drugstore.	D．Nobody can tell.

3. From the passage we can infer (推断) that ________.

A．The doctor didn’t ask for any pay

B．A miracle is sure to happen if you keep on

C．The little girl is lovely but not so clever

D．Andrew was in fact not so sick as they had thought.

【推荐2】Tongai Matandirotya, who works at Brass Bell Restaurant near Cape Town, left behind his own safety to dive into the cold Atlantic ocean to rescue a mother and daughter swept off the pier (长堤) by a sudden wave.

It was a relatively calm day in the fishing village of Kalk Bay. Several people were walking by the window of Brass Bell looking out to the water. Then the scene changed.

“I saw this wave come over the harbor and cover the people, dragging them into the ocean. I immediately ran outside, undressed myself, and dived into the water because I saw a child go in as well.” Tongai said.

37-year-old Clair Gardiner and her 8-year-old daughter Arya were the people swept away by the wave. Gardiner knew they were being pulled into the water as soon as the wave rushed over them, and she managed to wrap her arms around little Arya.

By now Tongai had dropped the drink he was pouring, taken off his belt and jumped into the water—followed by a tourist unnamed by the news reports. By then the ferocious waves, even just a few meters from shore, had pulled Gardiner and Arya apart. Tongai used his belt to rescue Arya who wasn’t able to stay afloat by herself.

“I recently went to the restaurant to thank him,” Gardiner told local news. “My daughter recognized him immediately, and we all embraced each other. We are so thankful to Tongai and the tourist man who risked their lives to save ours; we’ll forever be grateful to them.”

Tongai noticed he had been badly scratched up by the concrete wall of the pier, but he didn’t care about it. Brass Bell congratulated their man on Facebook, saying they were “so proud” of him, with several comments adding reminders to “tip him well”.

1. What can we learn from the passage?

A．Brass Bell Restaurant rewarded Tongai with some tips.

B．Tongai did the rescue perfectly without getting any scratch.

C．Gardiner succeeded in wrapping the belt around little Arya.

D．Gardiner went specially to the restaurant to express her appreciation.

2. What does the underlined word “ferocious” in paragraph 5 mean?

A．Distant.

B．Light.

C．Wild.

D．Peaceful.

3. Which of the following words can best describe Tongai?

A．Warm-hearted and confident.	B．Outgoing and optimistic.
C．Quick-thinking and courageous.	D．Talkative and determined.

4. Which of the following would be the best title for the text?

A．An Act of Kindness	B．A Heroic Deed by the Sea
C．A Sudden Wave to Humans	D．An adventure by the Sea

【推荐3】Last night one of our 3 family dogs was hit and killed by a car in front of my mother’s house. The dogs became more or less, my mother’s children after her human children grew up and moved out and my father ran with a midlife crisis and left her. The one that was killed had bonded with my mom far more than the others. She is shocked and upset. I loved the dog, but my true sadness currently results from having to watch my mother experience another tragedy after everything she has been through in her life.

In the midst of all of this I have to sincerely applaud the driver of the vehicle, which feels wrong, but it's not.

I’ll start by stating it was not his fault. The dog chased(追赶) a deer into the road at night. In an effort to not hit the deer with his car he changed direction suddenly, not seeing the dog, leading to her deaths. He could have very easily continued on his way, but he did something that I hope I never forget. He did the right thing (in my eyes). The driver pulled over, carefully wrapped our dog in a blanket he got from his car, and carried her up to my mother's front door.

He was visibly shaking and very upset. He informed my mother of what happened and she broke down immediately. He consoled her the best a stranger could and waited with her while my sister rushed to her house. He left his information and offered assistance in anyway he could.

Yes, he is the man who hit and killed our dog-accidentally. What he really did was sparing my mother from discovering unexpectedly a horrible scene herself while searching for the dog. He had so many choices. Choices that were far easier than what he chose. He did the right thing and for that, thank you, stranger. You recovered my faith in humanity.

1. What can we learn about the author's mother?

A．She has suffered a lot in her life.	B．She has grown up with her dogs.
C．She misses her husband very much.	D．She has three dogs killed in an accident.

2. What's the author s attitude towards the dog-killer?

A．Doubtful.

B．Indifferent.

C．Critical.

D．Praising.

3. What does the underlined word “consoled” in paragraph 4 mean?

A．Encouraged.

B．Followed.

C．Comforted.

D．Helped.

4. What is the best tide for the text?

A．An Unfortunate Accident	B．Sadness over a Dog’s Death
C．An Easy-to-Make Choice	D．Faith in Humanity Recovered

【推荐2】Maggie, a girl of thirteen years old, lived on the west coast of the United States. She had never experienced an earthquake before; she only prepared for it. As long as she could remember, preparing for an earthquake was common at her school. Her family had made plans as well in case of a natural disaster.

One day, Maggie arrived home from school at the usual time. However, it was not the same as usual. She was home alone. Her mom would be driving home on the busy freeway and her dad was to arrive at the airport. He was coming home from a two-week business trip.

After finishing her homework, Maggie felt a little hungry, so she went to the kitchen to find something to eat: Just then she felt a shake, then the violent shaking. Maggie quickly ran under the large table in the dining room. The sounds of breaking glass and the crashing of many things were deafening, and Maggie hugged herself in fear.

After what seemed like a very long time, the earthquake appeared to be over. Maggie could hear the sound of water rushing below her in the basement. And there was the smell of natural gas in the air. Maggie knew where the main water valve(阀门) was and how to turn it off. Dad had ever shown her before.

Slowly and carefully she came out from under the table. The once tidy home was then almost unrecognizable. Walls had fallen down and many things in the room were in a mess. As Maggie approached the open basement door, she could see the steps. Carefully she made her way down into the dark basement.

While placing her feet firmly on the floor, Maggie felt a sudden pain as a large wood hit her head and shoulder. She fell unconscious onto a pile of boxes. An hour later, she woke up and found her parents beside her. She was happy that she was still alive!

1. What can we infer from the first paragraph?

A．Earthquake are the main natural disasters in the US.

B．Maggie’s parents taught her how to survive in an earthquake.

C．Earthquakes occur often in the west of the US.

D．Magpie has some self-help knowledge in earthquakes.

2. What does the underlined word “deafening” in Paragraph 3 mean?

A．Very loud.	B．Quite familiar
C．Very distant	D．Quite strange.

3. What can we know about Maggie?

A．She was the only child in her family

B．She was not afraid at all during the earthquake.

C．She was hurt on the way to turning off the water valve.

D．She had experienced an earthquake before.

4. What does the passage mainly talk about?

A．A story of a girl in an earthquake.	B．The importance of preparing for an earthquake.
C．The ways to escape from an earthquake.	D．The danger of an earthquake.

【推荐3】My Ph. D. adviser called me into his office. After 15 minutes of listing my positive things, he looked me in the eye, saying, “You are fired from the lab.”

I had moved to Israel from my native India the year before, excited to experience a new culture and study for a Ph. D. At first things went well in my new lab. Three months later, I made several mistakes in the lab that slowed my research, but I wasn’t aware that my adviser noticed them, and he never spoke to me about any concerns. I’m still not sure why he fired me, but I guess that because of those mistakes, he wasn’t confident that I could complete my research as scheduled.

The first few days after I was fired was especially difficult. I spent hours staring at my computer screen, unable to get anything done. One day all I could do was sit on a beach and cry. I tried to change his mind with promising results, but he stuck to his decision. I could not break the news to my family in India, as the fear of disappointing them would overwhelm (使不知所措) me. I soon got into a state of sadness and anxiety, lonely and hopeless.

Around that time, I watched Dasvidaniya, a Bollywood movie that’s about a man who has three months to live. One line from the movie stuck out to me — When life gives you lemons, make lemonade (柠檬汁). What kind of lemonade could I make out of my present situation? My desire to complete a Ph. D. was never in doubt. On reflection, I told myself that I needed to give it another try. With renewed confidence, I emailed other advisers and applied to other programs. Within two months, I landed an offer from a Ph. D. program in Italy. I accepted it and relocated to Europe, happy that my goal of completing a Ph. D. was alive once again.

I’m thankful that I didn’t give up my dream and that I found another professor willing to take me on.

1. What is Paragraph 2 mainly about?

A．The personality of the adviser.

B．The author’s problems in study.

C．The author’s bad experience of being fired.

D．The author’s difficulty in adapting to a new culture.

2. What kind of “lemonade” did the author make out of the difficult situation?

A．Persuading the adviser to let him stay.

B．Being responsible for different programs.

C．Holding the belief that he could get a Ph. D.

D．Getting accepted by another Ph. D. program.

3. What lesson can we learn from the story?

A．Direction is more important than effort.

B．Turn to movies for comfort when in trouble.

C．A Ph. D. is important for the future.

D．Difficulties in life can be turned into something positive.

【推荐1】A mother of nine who started medical school when her youngest child was 4 years old graduated with her degree and plans to be a neurosurgeon (神经外科医生).

Sarah Merrill, now 41, said her journey to medical school began at age 17. She then met her husband and got married. Merrill first thought about going to school part-time to get a degree, but later she decided to follow her dream of attending medical school. Speaking of her successfully returning to university, Merrill thought it was credited to her family largely. “When I was accepted at Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, we moved from Pennsylvania to Arizona,” said Merrill, who is moving to Indiana with her family to begin her residency (实习期) in neurosurgery. “In fact, they volunteered these movements. I know it was tough for all of us.”

Merrill and her children often have “homework parties” where they study for their own courses. Merrill’s choice has given a stimulus to her children. Merrill felt touched knowing her 11-year-old daughter wants to become a surgeon and overhearing her son tell his friends his mom’s going to be a cool brain surgeon, though he doesn’t understand that really.

Merrill’s next step into a neurosurgery residency will take her into a male-controlled field where only 5% of qualified neurosurgeons are women. Dr. Michele Halyard at Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine said Merrill was known as a focused student. Halyard said, “If you can deal with nine children and keep your reason, the residency should be a piece of cake because no amount of stress will make you fail.”

Merrill had considered choosing a more family-friendly specialty, but, again, chose to dream big and follow her original pursuit. It’s the same advice she would give to all. “Set the goal that is what you’re really enthusiastic about, and it helps to think small. If you know what your priorities are, focus on the next step. Then you’ll get where you want to go.”

1. Why does Merrill speak of their movements?

A．To show the support of her family.

B．To stress her determination to be a doctor.

C．To reflect difficulties in attending college.

D．To describe the process of pursuing her dream.

2. What does the underlined word “stimulus” mean in paragraph 3?

A．Entertainment.	B．Motivation.
C．Commitment.	D．Confusion.

3. What does Halyard mean in paragraph 4?

A．Merrill will have more stress to handle.

B．Being Mom makes Merrill a better doctor.

C．Staying focused and sensible is key to success.

D．She is confident of Merrill’s being a neurosurgeon.

4. What does Merrill suggest at last?

A．Learning from failure.	B．Starting with small things.
C．Being true to your own passion.	D．Believing in yourself and staying active.

【推荐2】阅读理解。
It was something she had dreamed of since she was five. Finally, after years of training and intensive workouts, Deborah Duffey was going to compete in her first high school basketball game. The goals of becoming an outstanding player and playing college ball were never far from Deborah's mind.
The game was against Mills High School. With 1 minute and 42 seconds left in the game, Deborah's team led by one point. A player of Mills had possession of the ball，and Deborah ran to guard against her. As Deborah was running to block the player, her knee went out and she fell down on the court in burning pain. Just like that, Deborah's season was over.
After suffering the bad injury, Deborah found that, for the first time in her life, she was in a situation beyond her control. Game after game, she could do nothing but sit on the sidelines watching others play the game that she loved so much.
Injuries limited Deborah's time on the court as she hurt her knees three more times in the next five years. She had to spend countless hours in a physical clinic to receive treatment. Her frequent visits there gave her a passion and respect for the profession.   And Deborah began to see a new light in her life.
Currently as a senior in college, Deborah focuses on getting a degree in physical treatment. After she graduates, Deborah plans to use her knowledge to educate people how to best take care of their bodies and cope with the feelings of hopelessness that she remembers so well.
1. How did Deborah feel when she first hurt her knee?

A．Calm.	B．Confused.
C．Ashamed.	D．Disappointed.

2. What is TRUE about Deborah Duffey?

A．She didn't play on the court after the injury.

B．She injured her knee when she was trying to block a player.

C．She knew that she couldn't be a basketball player when she was a child.

D．She refused to seek professional assistance to help her recover from her injuries.

3. What is the best title for this passage?

A．A Painful Mistake

B．A Great Adventure

C．A Lifelong Punishment

D．A New Direction in Life

【推荐3】The workers who brought the girl to the orphanage (孤儿院) knew little about her. The streets where they found her had been her home for many years. Her parents were unknown. They left her long ago. At the orphanage, the girl, like all the children there, was taught to read and write. While she was studying at the orphanage, she learned something else - to be independent (独立的，自主的). At twenty-one, she left the orphanage and began work as a secretary. And then, in 1975, while she was still working as an ordinary secretary, something special happened. She entered the Miss Hong Kong competition and won it. This was the turning point in her life. Now her name, Mary Cheung, was known to everybody.

Mary entered the competition because she wanted to show that orphanage girls could be something. Winning the competition gave her the chance to start a new life. This led her first into television and then into business as a manager.

When she was working as a manager, she had trouble with her reports. “My English just wasn’t good enough.” she says. Luckily, she had a boyfriend (who later became her husband) to help her.

Mary studied management at Hong Kong Polytechnic and graduated in 1980. She started her own business in 1985. But she did not stop developing herself. She then studied at the University of Hong Kong. Since 1987, she had spent a lot of time on photography. She has held several exhibitions of her work in many places-China, New Zealand and Paris. She still found time, however, to work on TV, write for newspapers and bring up her family.

The girl from the street has come a long way, but her journey is not finished yet.

1. Before Mary Cheung was brought to the orphanage, _______.

A．The workers knew her well.

B．She had lived in the streets for many years.

C．She had learned to write and read by herself.

D．She had lived with her parents whose names were not known

2. The underlined sentence “orphanage girls could be something.” means that orphanage girls could be______.

A．popular and successful.

B．understood by others.

C．Miss Hong Kong.

D．known to everybody.

3. This passage is probably taken from ______.

A．a novel.

B．a science magazine.

C．a history textbook.

D．a newspaper.

4. Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A．All the children at the orphanage liked Mary.

B．Mary’s life in the orphanage was difficult.

C．Mary’s boyfriend was good at English.

D．Mary was not happy when she was working as a secretary.