1 . The Price of a Dream

I grew up poor. We had little money, but plenty of love and attention. I understood that no matter how poor a person was, they could still afford a dream. My dream was athletics.

By the time I was sixteen, I was good at baseball and football. My high school coach was Ollie Jarvis. He not only believed in me, but taught me the difference between having a dream and showing conviction (信念).

One summer a friend recommended me for a summer job. This meant a chance for money in my pocket — cash for dates with girls, certainly, money for a new bike and new clothes, and the start of savings for a house for my mother.

Then I realized I would have to give up summer baseball to handle the work schedule, and that meant I would have to tell Coach Jarvis I wouldn’t be playing. I was afraid of this, but my mother said, “If you make your bed, you have to lie in it.” 

When I told Coach Jarvis, he was as mad as I expected him to be. “Your playing days are limited. You can’t afford to waste them,” he said.

I stood before him with my head hanging, trying to think of the words that would explain to him why I dream of buying my mom a house.

“How much are you going to make at this job, son?” he demanded.

“Three point twenty-five an hour,” I replied.

“Well,” he asked, “is $3. 25 an hour the price of a dream?”

That question exposed the difference between wanting something right now and having a goal. I devoted myself to sports that summer, and within the year I was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates to play rookie-league ball, and offered a $20, 000 contract. I signed with the Denver Broncos in 1984 for $1.7 million, and bought my mother my dream house.

1. Why was the writer grateful to Coach Jarvis?

A．Because Coach Jarvis made him set a goal.

B．Because Coach Jarvis supplied him with new clothes.

C．Because Coach Jarvis gave him financial support.

D．Because Coach Jarvis helped him show conviction.

2. What did the writer want to do when he was offered a job?

A．Balance summer baseball and the work schedule.

B．Refuse the job offer for summer baseball.

C．Give up summer baseball for the job.

D．Ask his coach Jarvis for advice.

3. Which of the following can replace the underlined part “If you make your bed, you have to lie in it.” in paragraph 4?

A．You must eat the bitter fruit of your own making.

B．Believe in yourself, but above all be patient.

C．You must rely on yourself first, then others.

D．A good beginning makes a good ending.

4. What did the writer do at the end of the story?

A．He failed to buy his mother a house.

B．He succeeded as a sportsman.

C．He became a successful businessman.

D．He made some money in the summer job.

2 . There is nothing more important than the safety of our children. Did you know that unintentional injury(意外伤害) is the main cause of death in children under 14 years old and with a third of them happening in the home? One of the top reasons a child under the age of three will visit an emergency room is because of household injuries and sadly, 70% of children who die from unintentional injuries are under the age of four. Every room in the home will have its own set of child safety problems. Two of the main danger zones are the kitchen and the bathroom.

Before I became a young mother, I crawled(爬) around the house on my hands and knees to see things from a child’s perspective(视角). You would be amazed at what you can discover by doing something so simple. We didn’t have toilet covers. A child is top heavy because their heads are bigger than their bodies and can easily fall into the toilet.

You might be surprised with the number of children falling out of windows every year, especially during the summer months. Something as simple as a child leaning against a window screen can result in a serious injury. The best way to prevent this type of injury is by setting up a child safety window guard.

As parents, we do the best we can by providing as much protection as possible to make sure of the safety of children. And as there are so many products(产品) out there to help us do this, there is nothing like good old-fashioned supervision(监护). So, use common sense and products that help to keep your child safe, and you will have provided a safe environment for your children.

1. What’s the main reason for death in children under 14 according to Paragraph 1?

A．Age problems.	B．No sense of safety.
C．Danger areas.	D．Unexpected injuries.

2. Why did the writer crawl around the house on hands and knees?

A．To cover the toilet slowly.

B．To protect her child carefully.

C．To look for something interesting.

D．To discover danger from a child’s point.

3. What should we do to protect children from falling out of windows?

A．Keep away from a window.	B．Place a safety window guard.
C．Move away the window screen.	D．Lean(倚) against the window firmly.

4. What’s the last paragraph mainly about?

A．Tips on keeping children safe.	B．Products for children.
C．Growth speed of children.	D．Ways to look after children.

3 . By now, most people know they should be eating more vegetables. But are there ways to get more from the vegetables you already eat? A research shows that when it comes to vegetables, it’s not only how much we eat, but also how we prepare them, that decides the vitamins and other nutrients that enter our body.

Many studies show that people who eat lots of vegetables have less heart disease, and eye problems and even cancer. But raw vegetables are not always best. The researchers found that 198 Germans who eat raw food were short of lycopene, the matter found in tomatoes and other red vegetables. “There is an idea that raw foods are always going to be better,” says Steven K. Clinton, a professor at Ohi o State University. “For fruits and vegetables, sometimes a little bit of cooking can be helpful.”

A number of factors decide how the vegetables do good to people’s health before they reach the table, including where and how they were grown and stored before being bought. No single cooking way is best. Some nutrients are easily lost in cooking if they are cooked in different ways.

Vitamins C and B are often lost. In January, another report said that boiling was better for carrots than frying or serving them raw. Frying was the worst way to cook.

What cooked with the vegetables can also be important? When the vegetables were cooked with fat, the diners can get more nutrients. Fat can also make the taste of vegetables better, meaning that people will eat more of them. Putting on some other things that make it taste better—a little salt—can make the food taste better.

1. The writer mainly wants to tell us that ________.

A．people should eat more vegetables

B．the way people eat vegetables is important

C．eating vegetables is good for us

D．how much vegetables one should eat

2. The people who eat the raw vegetables for a long time will ________.

A．have the eyes problems	B．have heart disease
C．be in need of lycopene	D．hate eating tomatoes

3. The following decide how the vegetables do good to people EXCEPT ________.

A．the place where the vegetables are grown

B．the way how the vegetables are stored

C．the way how the vegetables are prepared

D．the price at which the vegetable are sold

4. From the last paragraph, we can know ________.

A．It’s better to cook vegetables with fat

B．the more fat in the cooking, the fewer vegetables people will eat

C．It’s better to cook the vegetables without salt

D．the fat will increase the nutrition of the vegetables

4 . “Just sign here, sir,” the deliveryman said as he handed Oscar Reyna a package.

The package consisted of a long, narrow box ____ wrapped in brown paper. ____ the box, Oscar saw an umbrella inside—a very old one with a beautifully carved wooden handle. ____ he had not seen it in more than 20 years, he recognised it immediately.

Oscar was 16 when he first saw the____ umbrella. He had gone to a concert with his grandparents. As they were leaving, he noticed an umbrella on an empty seat. Impressed by its beauty, Oscar felt a strong desire to find its ____.

Oscar ____ the manager to look in the record of advance ticket sales. Just as he thought, a name matched the seat ____ Oscar had found the umbrella. The name was Mrs. Katie O’Brien.

Oscar talked his grandparents into going by Mrs. O’Brien’s house on their way home. He rang the bell, the door opened, and an elderly woman appeared. “May I ____ you?” she asked.

“I’d like to return it if it’s yours,” Oscar said, ____ the umbrella as if presenting a gift that had long been wished for.

“Why, yes! It’s mine,” replied Mrs. O’Brien with a ____ smile and shining eyes. “It was given to me by my father years ago. Thank you so much for returning it. May I offer you a reward for your ____?”

“No, ma’am,” he said. “My grandmother says that a good deed is its own reward.”

“Well, that’s ____ what my father used to say. What is your name, young man?”

Years later Oscar was staring at the finely carved handle of the umbrella as he remembered Mrs. O’Brien. It was in perfect condition, considering how ____ it was. Why had it arrived here today?

As if ____, a note fell from the paper. It read: Mrs. O’Brien wanted you to accept this umbrella as a present for a kind, ____ gesture long ago.

1.

A．strictly

B．carefully

C．roughly

D．casually

2.

A．Opening

B．Seizing

C．Observing

D．Searching

3.

A．After

B．When

C．Since

D．Although

4.

A．average

B．unusual

C．plain

D．typical

5.

A．designer

B．seller

C．user

D．owner

6.

A．convinced

B．forced

C．encouraged

D．advised

7.

A．until

B．before

C．which

D．where

8.

A．invite

B．help

C．bother

D．know

9.

A．putting up

B．turning out

C．picking up

D．holding out

10.

A．wide

B．confident

C．proud

D．shy

11.

A．patience

B．kindness

C．courage

D．determination

12.

A．obviously

B．naturally

C．exactly

D．probably

13.

A．old

B．rare

C．precious

D．nice

14.

A．in contrast

B．in return

C．in exchange

D．in answer

15.

A．attractive

B．significant

C．unselfish

D．sympathetic

5 . You probably know who Marie Curie was, but you may not have heard of Rachel Carson. Of the outstanding ladies listed below, who do you think was the most important woman of the past 100 years?

Jane Addams(1860-1935)

Anyone who has ever been helped by a social worker has Jane Addams to thank. Addams helped the poor and worked for peace. She encouraged a sense of community (社区) by creating shelters and promoting education and services for people in need. In 1931, Addams became the first American woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

Rachel Carson(1907-1964)

If it weren’t for Rachel Carson, the environmental movement might not exist today. Her popular 1962 book Silent Spring raised awareness of the dangers of pollution and the harmful effects of chemicals on humans and on the world’s lakes and oceans.

Sandra Day O’Connor(1930-present)

When Sandra Day O’Connor finished third in her class at Stanford Law School, in 1952, she could not find work at a law firm because she was a woman. She became an Arizona state senator(参议员) and, in 1981, the first woman to join the U.S. Supreme Court. O’Connor gave the deciding vote in many important cases during her 24 years on the top court.

Rosa Parks(1913-2005)

On December 1, 1955, in Montgomery, Alabama, Rosa Parks would not give up her seat on a bus to a white passenger. Her simple act landed Parks in prison. But it also set off the Montgomery bus boycott.It lasted for more than a year, and kicked off the civil-rights movement. “The only tired I was,was tired of giving in,”said Parks.

1. What is Jane Addams famous for in history?

A．Her social work.	B．Her teaching skills.
C．Her efforts to win a prize.	D．Her community background.

2. What was the reason for O’Connor’s being refused by the law firm?

A．Her lack of proper training in law.	B．The discrimination against women.
C．Her little work experience in court.	D．The poor financial conditions.

3. Who made a great contribution to the civil-rights movement in the U.S.?

A．Jane Addams.	B．Rachel Carson.
C．Sandra Day O’Connor.	D．Rosa Parks.

6 . Hansen and his 10-year-old son Chase search the streets of Salt Lake City every weekend for the homeless to take to lunch. They started Project Empathy(共情)four years ago to ________a meal, listen to their stories and figured out how they could ________ help.

“Just start with a smile, a hello. It really just starts with that. If you do it, you can make a connection. A small gesture can have a ________ impact on others less fortunate,” Hansen ________ in an interview.

Some of these shared meals have turned into stronger ________ .Ward, a homeless, was ________ in a flat. He credited the Hansens with helping him ________the difficult process of moving off the streets. “It is great to have friends who make us feel ________ and I’m impressed with the pair,” Ward said.

Father and son’s ________have developed into a passion project that ________ faith and community, which emphasizes the ________ community members can have in uplifting the homeless. They know they can’t settle the homeless ________ alone. They’re hoping empathy will ________.

“My hope for the future is to ________ more connection across our country. We could and we will succeed ________ we have other people join in and help the homeless,” Chase said.

1.

A．buy

B．cook

C．share

D．eat

2.

A．often

B．further

C．also

D．even

3.

A．dramatic

B．different

C．minimum

D．decisive

4.

A．remarked

B．praised

C．joked

D．quoted

5.

A．desires

B．connections

C．motivations

D．opinions

6.

A．provided

B．permitted

C．abandoned

D．housed

7.

A．through

B．for

C．despite

D．to

8.

A．surprised

B．relaxed

C．awesome

D．calm

9.

A．dreams

B．influences

C．experiences

D．efforts

10.

A．assesses

B．compares

C．highlights

D．respects

11.

A．importance

B．task

C．chance

D．role

12.

A．argument

B．problem

C．debt

D．conflict

13.

A．go away

B．catch on

C．fade out

D．give off

14.

A．establish

B．miss

C．exchange

D．maintain

15.

A．before

B．if

C．until

D．so

7 . A couple in Ohio accidentally dropped off a bag containing almost $ 100,000 at an Ohio charity shop. Thanks to _______ employees, they got the money back.

The employees were going through _______ last week when they came across a _______. Inside was $ 97,004. “It was so much cash,” employee Kelsey Croy said. “I looked in the bag and we _______ it right there on the desk. And it was $ 97,004.” Thankfully, the owners _______ a receipt for tax purposes when they dropped off _______ that morning. The employees _______ called the couple but there was no _______.

Not wanting to _______ that amount of cash in the store, they called the Zanesville Police Department. ________ repeated calls, officers finally got a hold of the couple. The couple hadn’t realized the money was ________. They told the police they withdrew all their money to deposit it in another bank. On the way, they ________at the charity shop to donate a bag of clothes. That’s ________ the money ended up there. “When we finally ________ them, they just asked if they could get it back tomorrow,” the officer said.

The couple has made contact with the original ________ who found the money to thank them. “I’m just glad that I meet with a bunch of honest and loyal people,” Croy said.

1.

A．honest

B．generous

C．brave

D．clever

2.

A．goods

B．donations

C．food

D．money

3.

A．suitcase

B．box

C．bag

D．wallet

4.

A．put

B．counted

C．hid

D．cleared

5.

A．asked for

B．asked about

C．gave up

D．gave out

6.

A．cards

B．fruits

C．bills

D．clothes

7.

A．surprisedly

B．hesitatingly

C．eventually

D．immediately

8.

A．concern

B．information

C．reply

D．letter

9.

A．take

B．leave

C．waste

D．spend

10.

A．After

B．During

C．Before

D．In

11.

A．found

B．missing

C．stolen

D．forgotten

12.

A．stopped

B．sighed

C．quarreled

D．wandered

13.

A．who

B．when

C．where

D．how

14.

A．inspected on

B．got rid of

C．got through

D．dropped in on

15.

A．police

B．officers

C．customers

D．employees

8 . We’ve all been there before. You’re driving down the road when suddenly a pothole(凹坑) seems to appear out of nowhere and sends the _________ bumping. Most people think potholes are _________, but artist Jim Bachor sees them as canvases (画布) for his artworks.

Bachor uses the _________ art form of mosaic(马赛克) to create eye-catching and colorful images of famous people or simple every day _________ like food. He even makes less-appealing visuals of insects.

Bachor was a graphic designer for 20 years before he began his _________ in mosaic. He regards an incidental trip to Europe as his motivation for changing his career. While _________ in Italy, Bachor fell in love with Pompeii, the preserved ancient Roman city. A tour guide pointed out a mosaic, mainly made of glass and marble, and told Bachor, “Glass and marble don’t _________. So, this looks essentially the same as the artist intended.” Bachor says, “That kind of staying power just _________ me so much.”

A year later Bachor returned to attend a mosaic class in Ravenna, Italy, to learn the proper way to _________ the ancient technique. Years after that, he mastered the technique. He __________ that mosaic could be just as significant today as the art form over 1,000 years ago. “I just saw that there was a(n) __________ to bring it into the new age as a contemporary subject,” he says.

So, Bachor decided to make a series of __________ for those potholes. He has __________ mosaic art around Chicago, Detroit and New York City.

While he may not get __________ from drivers or passengers, Bachor’s art is __________ a pleasant surprise to discover.

1.

A．body

B．rock

C．car

D．land

2.

A．challenging

B．interesting

C．discouraging

D．annoying

3.

A．modern

B．ancient

C．elegant

D．mysterious

4.

A．objects

B．ideas

C．routines

D．projects

5.

A．duty

B．career

C．belief

D．instruction

6.

A．traveling

B．living

C．working

D．studying

7.

A．last

B．connect

C．fade

D．break

8.

A．reminded

B．confused

C．troubled

D．impressed

9.

A．introduce

B．apply

C．promote

D．describe

10.

A．promised

B．imagined

C．remembered

D．realized

11.

A．offer

B．time

C．opportunity

D．voice

12.

A．artworks

B．articles

C．poems

D．videos

13.

A．discovered

B．created

C．improved

D．taught

14.

A．help

B．invitation

C．money

D．praise

15.

A．nearly

B．merely

C．certainly

D．personally