【推荐1】阅读短文，从各题所给的选项中，选择最佳选项。

Every day, Vicky travelled by bus between her office and home. She noticed something special about the bus driver. Whenever the passengers（乘客）got on the bus, he would smile at them.

However, Vicky also noticed a passenger who ever smiled back at the driver. It seemed that he never had any clean clothes. He often made big noises. Every time he got on the bus, he made the other passengers give up the seat to him in a loud voice. But the driver still smiled at the passenger. Instead, the "noisy" man seemed to never see the smile.

This got Vicky more interested. Once, she asked the driver. "Sir, may l ask you a question? Why don't you throw that noisy man out of the bus?"

The driver looked at Vicky and said, "He's my guest." "He is rude. Don't be so nice to him!" "Let me tell you about my dog." the driver said patiently. "Each time the moon shines, my dog barks at it crazily." Hearing this, Vicky was confused and said, "Sorry, but I don't understand what you're trying to tell me." The driver said, "It keeps barking, but the moon still shines."

1. Vicky thinks the bus driver is special because he __________.

A．drives too fast	B．shouts at every passenger
C．works hard very day	D．smiles at every passenger

2. What does Vicky think of this "noisy" man?

A．He is clean and friendly.	B．He is noisy and friendly.
C．He is not clean and rude.	D．He is clean and impolite.

3. Which one is TRUE according to the passage?

A．Vicky went to office by bike.	B．The driver is a kind man.
C．Vicky has a dog.	D．The "noisy" man always smiled at the driver.

4. The underlined（画线的）word "confused" in the passage means __________.

A．困惑的

B．混乱的

C．尴尬的

D．惭愧的

5. The story mainly wants to tell us that we should __________.

A．smile every day	B．not be polite to everyone
C．be strict with ourselves	D．always show our kindness to others

【推荐2】It feels like every time my mother and I start to have a conversation, it turns into an argument. We talk about something as simple as dinner plans and suddenly, my mother will push the conversation into World War III. She’ll talk about my lack of a bright future because I don’t plan to be a doctor. And much to her disappointment, I don’t want to do any job related to science, either. In fact ,when I was pushed to say that I planned to major(主修) in English and communications, she nearly had a heart attack.

“Why can’t you be like my co-worker’s(同事) son?” she bemoans all the time. Her co-worker’s son received a four-year scholarship(奖学金) and is now earning 70,000 dollars a year as an engineer. I don’ t know what to answer except that I simply can’t be like Mr. Perfect as I’ve called the unnamed coworker’s son. I can’t be like him. I’m the type of person who loves to help out in the community, write until the sun goes down, and most of all, wants to achieve a career because I love it, not because of fame or salary(薪水).

I understand why my mother is worried about my future major. I’ve seen my mother struggle to raise me on her small salary and work long hours. She leaves the house around 6:30 am and usually comes home around 5pm or even 6pm.However, I want her to know that by becoming a doctor, it doesn’t mean I’ll be successful. I’d rather follow my dreams and create my own future.

1. Which of the following topics do the writer and his mother often talk about ?

A．The writer’s studies.

B．The writer’s future job

C．Dinner plans

D．Wars around the world

2. The underlined word “bemoans” in Paragraph 2 most probably means__________ .

A．agrees

B．shouts

C．complains

D．smiles

3. Which of following statements is probably TRUE about the writer?

A．He wants to be like his mother’s co-worker’s son.	B．He doesn’t want to find a job in his community in the future.
C．He doesn’t think his mother’s co-worker’s son is perfect.	D．He wants to do so something he really likes in the future.

4. We can know from the last paragraph that _________.

A．the writer’s mother works very hard for the family.	B．the writer doesn’t know what his future will be like.
C．the writer doesn’t think being a doctor is good.	D．the writer sometimes thinks his mother’s advice is very good.

【推荐3】There are many things we need to know that we can not learn at school. For example, if we want to use our money wisely, we need to shop carefully. We need to know how to compare the prices of the things in different shops. We need to be able to compare the quality (质量) of different brands (品牌). We need to know how to make choices (选择) when we shop. Knowing how to make such choices is a life skill, and we need the skill if we want to live useful and happy lives. Some of the choices are small. For example, will I take an apple or a pear for lunch? Will I go to school by bus or on foot? Will I wear the red T-shirt or the blue one to the movies? Other choices are more important. For example, will I eat healthy food for lunch or will I eat junk food because it is tastier? Will I work hard in all my classes or will I only work hard in the classes I enjoy? We make choices like these every day.

We have to realize that the choices we make can influence the rest of our lives. Just as importantly, our choices can also influence other people. The next time you decide to waste time in class, play a joke on someone or talk loudly at the movies, think about this: Who else does your choice influence?

1. According to the passage, we can learn ________ at school.

A．all the useful things	B．all the things we need to know
C．something we need to know	D．those things that are useless in daily life

2. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?

A．To shop carefully, we need to compare the prices of the things in different shops.

B．To shop carefully, we need to compare the quality of different brands.

C．To shop carefully, we need to buy the cheapest things.

D．To shop carefully, we need to know how to make choices when we shop.

3. We need the life skills to live a ________ life according to the passage.

A．useful and happy	B．careful and happy
C．useful and rich	D．rich and happy

4. The choices we make every day can influence ________.

A．only others

B．our family

C．our friends

D．ourselves and others

5. What should we do before we make a choice according to the passage?

A．Ask others for advice.	B．Ask for others’ permission (允许).
C．Check it on the Internet.	D．Think about the influence it will bring to others.

【推荐1】

Joel Sartore is a speaker, writer, teacher and National Geographic (国家地理) photographer (摄影师). He is famous for his photos of animals in danger. Here is an interview (采访) with him.

Question: How did you become a National Geographic photographer?

Answer: My first job was for a newspaper. After spending a few years there, I met a National Geographic photographer. He liked my photos and said I should send some to the magazine. So I did. Then I got a one-day job with the National Geographic. And after that, I got a nine-day job, and so on.

Question: What kind of photographer is National Geographic looking for?

Answer: To get into the National Geographic team, you have to show them something they don’t have. It’s not enough just to be a great photographer. You also need some special skills (技能). You have to, for example, be a scientist, be able to dive (潜水) under the sea or spend some days in a tree.

Question: Many people want to be a photographer. Do you have any advice for them?

Answer: Advice? Well, work hard. Take lots of pictures in different places. Look at others’ photos carefully and learn from them. And keep curious (好奇的) about the world. There’s something to photograph everywhere. Be a photographer for the right reasons. If you do it for the money, you won’t be happy. But do you want to make the world a better place? If so, you’ll find your work more enjoyable and meaningful.

1. Joel Sartore is not a ________.

A．speaker

B．photographer

C．doctor

D．writer

2. How long did Joel Sartore first worked for National Geographic?

A．For one day.

B．For nine days.

C．For a month.

D．For a few years.

3. Who can most probably get into the National Geographic team?

A．Greg, a young man who is good at paragliding.

B．Laura, a photographer who has worked for 20 years.

C．Vince, a young reporter who is a man of high education.

D．Steve, a great photographer who is good at climbing mountains.

4. According to Joel Sartore, what makes a photographer enjoy his work better?

A．Making much money.	B．Taking lots of pictures.
C．Trying to make the world a better place.	D．Being a scientist and diving under the sea.

【推荐2】I had hidden the long black bag in the garage for the past two days. Tonight, in the dark, I would finally take it away. If everything went OK, it would be done by morning. But I had to be sure no one, not even my wife, saw me.

It was more difficult to get away from the party than I expected. And I had to get the kids to sleep. That was never easy at any time and tonight it was even more difficult. As usual, I read them a bedtime story, but I had to stop myself reading too quickly or they would learn my secret.

Silence finally came, and feeling like a thief in the night, I went out of the house and into the garage. I dragged the bag out from its hiding place and took it into the garden. I was worried that my neighbors might see me and call the police.

It was already eleven o'clock. By the light of the moon I started working, trying to make as little noise as possible. After much effort, my work was finally completed. I looked down at my watch. It was exactly 4:00 am.

Then I went inside to have a shower and get a few hours of sleep. It wouldn't be long now before the kids would rush into my room and wake me up to tell me about the new tree house Father Christmas had brought them this year.

1. Why did the man feel nervous?

A．He left the party too late.

B．He was afraid of the darkness.

C．He didn't know where the black bag was.

D．He worried that others would know his secret.

2. The underlined word "they" in Paragraph 2 refers to ____________.

A．thieves

B．parents

C．children

D．neighbors

3. In what order did the man do the following?
a. Read the kids a story.        b. Had a shower.                 c. Worked in the moonlight.
d. Dragged the bag from the garage.                    e. Went to a party.

A．e-d-a-b-c

B．e-a-d-c-b

C．a-b-e-d-c

D．a-e-d-c-b

4. What can we infer(推断) from the story?

A．The man didn't want his wife to see this bag.

B．The man stole a tree to send to his kids.

C．The kids would feel excited about the Christmas tree.

D．It was difficult for the man to get the kids to sleep.

【推荐3】There was once a university that made an announcement. It encouraged people to help scientists find a white marigold (金盏花). Most marigolds are either golden or brown, so it is very hard to find a white one. Some people tried, but they failed, so many people soon forgot the announcement.

Twenty years later, the university received a letter from an old woman. She sent 100 white marigold seeds along with the letter.

The woman was a fan of flowers. When she first read the university’s announcement 20 years ago, she got very excited like others. She thought she could grow her own white marigolds. But her children were against her decision. She knew nothing about seed genetics (遗传学), after all. So her dream of growing white marigolds was just a dream.

Still, the woman worked to make it happen. She planted some of the most common marigold seeds and took good care of them. A year later, when the marigolds came out, she chose one of the faintest (最暗淡的) flowers and took its seeds. She planted these seeds and waited another year for them to bloom. The next year, she again grew them and chose…

Day after day, year after year, through many seasons, her life changed. Her husband died, her children moved away, and many other things happened, but her desire to grow white marigolds remained strong in her heart.

Finally, one day after 20 years, she went out to her garden and found a marigold that was not just white--it was as white as the purest snow.

1. What did the woman do to finally grow white marigolds?

A．She got the support from her husband and children.

B．She planted the seeds of the faintest flowers every year.

C．She worked hard to study seed genetics.

D．She received some seeds of white marigolds.

2. The underlined word “it” in Paragraph 6 refers to ________.

A．her garden

B．her desire

C．the purest snow

D．a marigold

3. What can we learn from the story?

A．Hold on to our dreams and we will be successful.

B．It is not easy to develop something new.

C．Only people with lots of knowledge can solve problems.

D．We should learn to stay cheerful in times of trouble.

【推荐1】Reyes Guana, 42, grew up in a poor Mexican family. He has seven brothers and sisters. His parents always had two jobs to make ends meet.

As a boy, Guana had a good relationship（关系）with the school cleaner. He called her “Nike” because she wore Nike shoes. The boy liked how Nike made everything clean. He told her he wanted to be a cleaner, too. “Well, it’s good if you want to be a cleaner,” Nike told little Guana. “But make sure you go to college.”

Guana also looked up to the principal（校长）of his school. The school leader told the boy that his job was to help students and teachers. “Wow, when I grow up I want to do what you’re doing.” “Well, if you stick to your dream, you will,” the principal answered.

And Guana really got there. But it was quite a long journey for him. Twenty-three years ago, he followed in Nike’s footsteps and was cleaning schools. He worked at three schools to pay his college education. He held that job for four years and then worked his way up to being a school safety monitor. After that, he worked as a teacher for a few years.

Now, as a leader of a middle school, Guana never forgets where he came from. He helps students from poor families and shows respect for every school staff member. He always invites everyone to school parties, including those who clean the floors and those who drive the school buses.

1. Guana hoped to be a cleaner because he ________.

A．was good at cleaning

B．admired the cleaner “Nike” a lot

C．needed to support his poor family

D．had to pay for his college education

2. Guana became a school safety monitor ________.

A．when he was nineteen

B．after he worked as a teacher

C．as soon as he got enough money

D．before he was named principal

3. The underlined phrase “got there” actually means________.

A．成为保洁人员

B．进入大学

C．实现他的梦想

D．闻名于世

4. According to the writer, ________.

A．Guana should have been named principal earlier

B．a boy from a poor family can have a bright future

C．a cleaner is more important than a college student

D．the cleaners and the drivers should get more respect

5. What would be the best title for this passage?

A．From Cleaner to Leader.

B．Different Jobs.

C．From Failure to Success.

D．Relationship Works.

【推荐2】Derek Redmond

It was the Olympic Games in Barcelona in 1992; the semi-final of the 400 metres. The sun was shining and the crowd were ready for a great race. British athlete Derek Redmond was a top runner: he had a very good chance of winning a medal.

The race began. At first, Derek was running well. Then, after about 150 metres, he felt a pain in his leg. He fell down on one knee. He had a bad injury and couldn’t carry on. The other runners went past him and finished the race.

After about five seconds, Derek got up and started to run again, on one leg only. Some organizers tried to stop him but he kept going. The crowd stood up and started to clap. Then another man came onto the track—Derek’s father, Jim. His father put his arm around him and said, “Derek, you don’t have to do this.” Derek replied, “Yes, I do. I have to finish.” And so together they walked the last 50 metres and crossed the line.

When he finally crossed the line, Derek was crying and 60,000 people were cheering him.

Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner

In the summer of 2010, mountaineer Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner was almost at the top of a mountain called K2. She was trying to climb the 8,611-metre mountain for the fifth time, and this time she was climbing with her friend Fredrik Ericsson.

It was about 7 o’clock in the morning and it was snowing a little. The two climbers were getting ready to go up the last 400 metres. Fredrik was trying to tie some rope but he slipped and fell past Gerlinde. He fell 1,000 metres and was killed.

________ K2 was now a very sad place for her, and she thought perhaps she would never climb the mountain.

But there was something very important that she wanted to do: K2 is one of 14 mountains in the world that are 8,000 metres or higher, and her dream was to climb them all.

So in August 2011 she went back to K2, and tried again. This time, she got to the top. Her dream was complete.

1. What information is mentioned in the first story?

A．The time Derek spent on the race.	B．The person who crossed the line with Derek.
C．The speed Derek ran for the first 150 metres.	D．The names of the runners who went past Derek.

2. Who fell 1,000 metres and was killed in a mountain called K2?

A．Derek Redmond.

B．Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner.

C．Fredrik Ericsson.

D．Ericsson’s friend.

3. Which of the following can be put in ________?

A．Gerlinde went back to the base camp.	B．Gerlinde went on climbing.
C．Gerlinde tied some rope to the rocks.	D．Gerlinde wanted to try again.

4. What did the two main characters have in common?

A．They both came from Britain.	B．They both failed the 400-metre race.
C．They both had the dream to climb high mountains.	D．They were both brave people who didn’t give up.

5. What does the writer mainly want to tell us?

A．The most important thing is to win the race.	B．When things go wrong, we must stop at once.
C．When we start something, we should try to finish.	D．We shouldn’t start a race if we don’t think we can win.