【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 a 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（奇迹）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 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 inside 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 your little brother. "

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 little girl, a miracle might be.

A．something interesting	B．something beautiful
C．some good food	D．some wonderful medicine

2. The little girl said again and again "...I can try and get some more." That shows.

A．she had still kept some money

B．she hoped not to be refused

C．there was no need to worry about money

D．she thought money was easy to get

3. 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.

4. From the passage, we can infer（推断）that.

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

B．the little girl is lovely but not so clever

C．the doctor didn't ask for any pay

D．a miracle is sure to happen if you keep on

【推荐3】In today’s world of email and IM, my 9-year-old son doesn’t even know what it costs to mail a letter, let alone the rich history of stamps and the joys of stamp collecting.

All that is about to change.

We arrive at the Spellman Museum of Stamps Postal History, located on the campus of Regis College. The museum’s mission (使命) is “to be a center of learning and activity that enables those of all ages to appreciate diverse cultures and peoples by exploring the ways they communicate through the world’s postal systems”. Central to the museum’s philosophy is that real objects, direct experience, and enjoyment are gateways to understanding and learning.

There are many ways they deliver on this mission. Children can engage in numerous hands-on activities, including museum-wide Stamp Scavenger Hunts, an interactive “Stamp or No Stamp?” quiz game and special activities on Family and Homeschoolers Days.

“We see kids come in the door with no knowledge of stamps, and walk out with a whole new view of their world and an excitement about stamp collecting,” says Henry Lukas, the museums director of educational programs.

“Some kids sit here for hours and search through,” says Lukas. “Butterflies, pets, Olympics... if they are interested in a certain topic, we can pull out a box and they can start hunting.” My own son is excitedly hand-picking stamps with animals from other countries, eagerly starting his own themed stamp collection.

But there’s more to stamps than simply collecting them. “You can learn a lot from a corner of an envelope,” Lukas says. “They are an invention; someone had to think up an idea. They come in all different shapes. Some are made of material other than paper, like wood. There’s a Brazilian stamp that smells like coffee.”

We leave the museum with lots of bits of paper, and a boy who continues his fascination with his stamps once home, glued with fascination to his tiny treasures.

1. Why is the author’s son taken to the museum?

A．He knows little about stamps.

B．He is interested in stamps.

C．He wants stamps with animals.

D．He needs to learn to mail letters.

2. What is the purpose of the activities organized by the museum?

A．To increase kids’ understanding of the museum.

B．To increase kids knowledge of postal history.

C．To help kids communicate with different people.

D．To help kids learn about the world through stamps.

3. How do kids get stamps in the museum?

A．By sitting for hours.

B．By finding a box full of stamps.

C．By looking for them themselves.

D．By learning how to collect them.

4. What does the author think of the Brazilian stamp?

A．Educational.	B．Creative.
C．Convenient.	D．Strange.

【推荐1】Last year, I worked in a middle school near my mother’s house, and I stayed with her for a month. During that time, I helped her do some housework and buy some food.

After the first week, I noticed that the food was eaten up very quickly. Then I began keeping an eye on my mom. To my surprise, I found that she would put some of the food into a paper bag and go out with it at about nine every morning. And finally, I decided to follow her. I saw her taking the food to the street children. She would also spend a lot of time talking and playing with them.

One day, I talked to a neighbor and found out that my mom was well-known in the area. The children were very friendly with her and even thought of her as their own mother. Then it hit me—why wouldn’t she want to tell me about it? Was she worried that I would stop buying food if I found out?

When my mom got home, I gave her a big hug. I told her she didn’t need to keep it a secret from me. And she told me something about the children. Some of them lived with an old lady in a small house. Others slept on the street. For years, she was helping the poor street children by giving them food. After she told me everything, I was so moved by how selfless she was. She helped others in need. As her son, I was so proud of my mom.

I continued to buy food for my mom after that. But I always added one more bag for her other children.

1. After the first week, the writer noticed that_____.

A．the food was put into a big box	B．his mom followed the children
C．the food was eaten up quickly	D．his mom stopped buying food

2. The street children thought of the writer’s mom as their ______.

A．old grandma

B．own mother

C．new neighbor

D．dear teacher

3. How did the writer feel about his mom after she told him everything?

A．He was proud of her.	B．He was confident in her.
C．He was angry with her.	D．He was worried about her.

4. The writer added one more bag of food to______.

A．make friends with the children	B．get a hug from his mother
C．become well-known in the area	D．help the poor street children

【推荐2】No one has a temper naturally so good, that it does not need attention and cultivation, and no one has a temper so bad, but that, by proper culture, it may become pleasant. One of the best disciplined tempers ever seen, was that of a gentleman who was naturally quick, irritable,rash, and violent; but,by taking care of the sick, and especially of mentally deranged(疯狂的)people, he so completely mastered himself that he was never known to be thrown off his guard.

The difference in the happiness which is received by the man who governs his temper and that by the man who does not is dramatic. There is no misery so constant, so upsetting, and so intolerable to others, as that of having a character which is your master. There are corners at every turn in life, which we may run, and at which we may break out in impatience, if we choose.

Look at Roger Sherman, who rose from a humble occupation to a seat in the first Congress of the United State, and whose judgment was received with great respect by that body of distinguished men. He made himself master of his temper and cultivated it as a great business in life. There are one or two instances which show this part of his character in a light that is beautiful.

One day, after having received his highest honors, he was sitting and reading in his sitting room. A student, in a room close by, held a looking-glass in such a position as to pour the reflected rays of the sun directly in Mr Sherman’s face. He moved his chair, and the thing was repeated. A third time the chair was moved, but the looking-glass still reflected the sun in his eyes. He laid aside his book, went to the window, and many witnesses of the rude behavior expected to see the ungentlemanly student severely punished. He raised the window gently,and then— shut the window blind!

I can not help providing another instance of the power he had acquired over himself. He was naturally possessed of strong passions, but over these at length-obtained an extraordinary control. He became habitually calm and. self-possessed. Mr. Sherman was one of those men who are not ashamed to maintain the forms of religion in their families. One morning he called them all together as usual to lead them in prayer to God. The “old family Bible” was brought out and laid on the table.

Mr. Sherman took his seat and placed beside him one of his children, a child of his old age. The rest of the.family were.seated around the room, several of whom were now grown-ups. Besides these, some of the tutors of the college were boarders in the family and were present at the time. His aged mother occupied a corner of the room, opposite the place where the distinguished Judge sat.

At length, he opened the Bible, and began to read. The child who was seated,beside him made some little disturbance, upon which Mr. Sherman paused and told it to be still. Again he continued but again he had.to pause to scold the little offender, whose playful character would scarcely permit it to be still. At this.time he gently tapped its ear. The blow, if blow it.might be called, caught the attention of his aged mother, who now with some effort rose from the seat and tottered across the room. At length, she reached the chair of Mr. Sherman, and in a moment, most unexpectedly to him, she gave,him a blow on the ear with all the force she could gather. “There,” said she, “you strike your child, and I will strike mine.”

For a moment, the blood was seen mounting to the face of Mr. Sherman. But it was only for a moment and all was calm and mild as usual. He paused; he raised his glasses; he cast his eye upon his mother; again it fell upon the book fro m which he had been reading. Not a word escaped him; but again he calmly pursued the service, and soon sought in prayer an ability to set an example before his household which should be worthy of their imitation. Such a victory was worth more than the proudest one ever achieved on the field of battle.

1. How is the passage mainly developed?

A．By analyzing reasons.	B．By giving examples.
C．By listing arguments.	D．By comparing facts.

2. What was Roger Sherman’s attitude towards his aged mother?

A．Grateful.

B．Skeptical.

C．Tolerant.

D．Sympathetic.

3. What can we learn about Roger Sherman?

A．He came from a distinguished family background.

B．He was not good at displaying his true inner feelings.

C．He severely punished a student who didn’t behave himself.

D．He was a man conscious of the consequences of his behavior.

4. What does the underlined sentence in the last paragraph mean?

A．Mr. Sherman’s face was covered with blood.

B．Mr. Sherman was seeking strength in prayer.

C．Mr. Sherman was then on the point of exploding.

D．Mr. Sherman was ashamed of his mother’s rude behavior.

5. Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

A．Control your temper	B．Save your self-esteem
C．Mind your manners	D．Treasure your Bible

【推荐3】As a youngster, there was nothing I liked better than Sunday afternoons at my grandfather’s farm in western Pennsylvania. Surrounded by miles of winding stone walls, the house and field provided endless hours of fun for a city kid like me. I was used to tidy living rooms that seemed to whisper, “Not to be touched!”

I can still remember one afternoon when I was eight years old. Since my first visit to the farm, I had wanted more than anything to be allowed to climb the stone walls surrounding the houses. My parents would never approve. The walls were old; some stones were missing, others loose and falling. Still, my idea to climb across those walls grew so strong that finally, one spring afternoon, I had all my courage to enter the living room, where the adults had gathered after Sunday dinner.

“I, uh—I want to climb the stone walls,” I said. Everyone looked up. “Can I climb the stone walls?” Immediately voices of disagreement went up from the women in the room. “Heavens, no! You’ll hurt yourself!” I wasn’t too disappointed; the response was just as I’d expected. But before I could leave the room, I was stopped by my grandfather’s loud voice. “Now hold on just a minute,” I heard him say. “Let the boy climb the stone walls. He has to learn to do things for himself.”

“Go,” he said to me, “and come and see me when you get back.” For the next two and a half hours I climbed those old walls—and had the time of my life. Later I met with my grandfather to tell him about my adventures. I’ll never forget what he said. “Fred,” he said, smiling, “You made this day a special day just by being yourself. Always remember, there’s only one person in this whole world like you, and I like you exactly as you are.”

Many years have passed since then, and today I host the television program Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, seen by millions of children throughout America. There have been changes over the years, but one thing remains the same: my message to children at the end of almost every visit. “There’s only one person in this whole world like you.” the kids can count on hearing me say, “and people can like you exactly as you are.”

1. When the writer was small, he lived ________.

A．in the city	B．on the farm
C．with his grandparents	D．away from his parents

2. The writer enjoyed his visits to the farm because ________.

A．there were old stone walls	B．it was an exciting place for him
C．he liked his grandfather	D．the living room there was clean

3. We can learn from the passage that the writer was ________.

A．adventurous

B．funny

C．smart

D．talkative

4. What did the writer learn from his grandfather and his own experience on the farm?

A．To do things for others.	B．To do whatever he liked.
C．To be proud of himself.	D．To be himself.