1 . A little girl ran to her bedroom and pulled out her piggy bank (储蓄罐) from a secret drawer in her closet. She took the change from it and counted it carefully three times.
She carefully placed the coins in a jar and twisted on the cap. She took the jar and slipped out of the back door. She made her way six blocks to a drug store. She waited patiently for the pharmacist (药剂师) to give her some attention but he was too busy attending other customers at that moment. She tried several times to get his attention but failed. Finally, she took a quarter from her jar and hit it on the glass counter, which was finally able to get her some attention.
“What do you want, little Miss?” the pharmacist asked the tiny girl in the front of his counter. “My brother is really, really sick and I want to buy a miracle,” the girl answered back. “I beg your pardon?” said the pharmacist. “My brother is really sick and my daddy says only a miracle can cure him now. So, I want to get a miracle for him. How much does it cost?” “I’m sorry but I can’t help you. We don’t sell miracles here, little girl,” the pharmacist said, softening a little.
Next to the little girl was a tall well-dressed man. He lowered himself and asked the little girl, “What kind of a miracle does your brother need?” “I don’t know,” the girl replied with her eyes in tears. “I just know he is very sick and has something bad growing inside his head. Doctor says he needs an operation. But daddy can’t afford it, so we need a miracle to save him now. I can use all my money to save my brother.” “How much do you have?” asked the man. “One dollar and twelve cents, it’s all the money I have now, but I can get some more if needed,” the girl answered in a whisper. “Well, what a coincidence,” smiled the man. “That is the exact price of a miracle for a little brother. Take me to your brother. Let’s see if I have the miracle your brother needs.”
The man was a famous nuerosurgeon (神经外科医生). He was just the right person needed to save the little boy’s life. The operation was completed without any charges and it went successfully.
Her mommy wondered how much it would have cost. The little girl just smiled, but said nothing.
1. The girl took the money out of the piggy bank to ______.| A．keep it in her bank account | B．buy her brother a miracle |
| C．cover the debt at the drugstore | D．donate it to a needy child |
| A．To let off her steam. | B．To show off her wealth. |
| C．To get timely service. | D．To attract other customers. |
| A．Her father was embarrassed for lack of money. | B．Her brother suffered from head injuries. |
| C．She was confident in saving her brother. | D．He was ready to help the little girl. |
| A．considerate and honest | B．gentle and open-minded |
| C．brave and creative | D．kind and professional |
| A．The Price of a Miracle | B．A Special Day at the Drugstore |
| C．A Doctor with Kindness | D．The Survival of a Strong-willed Boy |
2 . A small, white envelope stuck among the branches of our Christmas tree and it has been there for ten years or so.
It all began because my husband Justin hated Christmas—oh, not the true meaning of Christmas. Overspending was one thing, but compared to the difficult experience of choosing gifts—running around at the last minute to get a tie for Uncle Harry and a pair of gloves for Grandma…, spending money is nothing.
I felt too tired to think of any special gifts. Knowing Justin felt the same way, I decided one year not to buy the usual shirts, sweaters, ties and so on. I reached for something special just for Justin. The inspiration came in an unusual way.
Our son Kevin, who was 12 that year, was wrestling at the junior level at the school he attended; and shortly before Christmas, there was a match against a team sponsored by an inner-city church. These youngsters, dressed in such worn-out shoes that shoe strings seemed to be the only thing holding them together, while our boys were in their blue and gold uniforms and new wrestling shoes.
As the match began, I was shocked to see that the other team were wrestling without wearing helmets to protect their heads. Well, our boys ended up defeating them. We took every weight class.
Justin, seated beside me, shook his head sadly, "I wish just one of them could have won," he said. "They have a lot potential, but losing like this could take the heart out of them." Justin loved kids—-all kids, and he knew them, having coached little league football and baseball. That's when the idea for his present came. That afternoon, I went to a local sporting goods store and bought different kinds of wrestling helmets and shoes. I sent them to the inner-city church without leaving my name.
On Christmas Eve, I placed the envelope on the tree, the note inside telling Justin what I had done and that was his gift from me. His smile was the brightest thing about Christmas that year and since then the envelope has become the highlight of our Christmas.
1. Justin hated Christmas because________.| A．he thought Christmas makes no sense |
| B．he had a hard time choosing gifts |
| C．he spent too much money buying gifts |
| D．he disliked putting gifts under the Christmas tree |
| A．were well dressed | B．paid no attention to safety |
| C．feared Kevin's team | D．couldn't afford helmets |
| A．didn't wear any helmets |
| B．were dressed in worn-out shoes |
| C．may lose confidence completely |
| D．failed in the match against his son |
| A．what the writer had done | B．the envelop on the tree |
| C．the note inside the envelop | D．the gifts the writer sent to church |
| A．A Church Gift | B．A Special Note |
| C．A White Envelope | D．A Christmas Card |
3 . A woman whose sports car was stolen with her dog in it put up notices all over the area that made it clear getting back her pet was more important than her car.
“Whoever did this can keep my car. Please let Benjerman come home,” the notice said.
It is not known whether the thief showed any pity, but almost 30 hours after the 1 pm theft Friday, Kimberly Atkins of Dover and Benjerman, a 12-year-old black retriever(猎犬), were reunited after police located them in Barrington.
“He’s hungry, he’s dirty, but he’s very happy to be home,” Atkins said.
The car was found at about 5 pm Saturday off Route 125 in a swampy area frequented by off-the-road cars and dirt bikes. However, the police couldn’t control Benjerman, and they had to call Atkins to come and get him.
Atkins said the thief cared for Benjerman a little by providing him with some dry cat food. She believed Benjerman ended up drinking some muddy water in the area.
She said they have been together for nearly 11 years after she took him back from a society shelter in Dallas, Texas.
Before Benjerman was found, Atkins and several friends put up notices all over the city and in Somersworth. They also contacted animal shelters throughout southern New Hampshire and Massachusetts.
The notice stated there was a reward, and also that the dog needed medication(药物治疗). Any caller could remain anonymous(匿名的).
Atkins had parked the car outside a hardware store with the keys inside and gone in to rent a carpet cleaner.
“It was 10 minutes and I came out and my car was gone along with Benjerman in broad daylight,” Atkins said. The car thief threw Atkins’ wallet and other personal items out of the car before escaping from the scene.
1. What would be the best title for the passage?| A．A car with a dog was stolen |
| B．Lucky dog was returned to his owner |
| C．Stealing cars: a most important social problem |
| D．Woman wants dog back more than stolen car |
a. Notices were put up saying there was a reward.
b. Atkins saw Benjerman again.
c. Police found Atkins’ car.
d. Atkins took Benjerman back from a society shelter.
e. Atkins hired a carpet cleaner in a hardware store.
| A．d, e, a, b, c | B．d, e, a, c, b |
| C．e, a, d, b, c | D．e, a, c, d, b |
| A．the dog was treated extremely badly by the thief |
| B．car stolen accidents happen frequently nowadays |
| C．the dog was found because of the reward |
| D．the thief stole the car easily |
| A．Benjerman was sent back immediately after Atkins put up the notices. |
| B．Atkins and her friends made a great effort to look for Benjerman. |
| C．The thief gave the dog back but kept the sports car. |
| D．The dog was back at 1 pm on a Friday. |
| A．Benjerman | B．Thief |
| C．Atkins | D．Atkins’ friends |
When my friends went to college in great delight, I restarted my senior high school life. My spirit sank. Surrounded by strange classmates, I felt like I was in a maze and was sorry about myself. There were some complex feelings in my minds. I was frightened, nervous and lonely.
To make matters worse, I recalled my failure again and again, which put more pressure on me than I could bear. As a result, I was always feeling down during class time.
My teacher found me spiritless. One day he asked me to come to his office and told me about his attitude towards life: we might suffer from mistakes, but it’s important to learn lessons from them. All the pains and the embarrassing things we experience are part of the process. So keep up your spirit! At last, he added, “If you are optimistic, things you want may happen to you!”
Warmth rushed through my soul. I suddenly found the sun shining again when I stepped out of his office.
With the teacher’s help, I eventually got over my depression. From then on, I no longer bowed my head and began smiling to my classmates. I would put up my hand confidently in class and play with my new friends in my spare time. Meanwhile, I was gradually embraced by my classmates.
Now faced with fierce competition, we all study hard because we know that every second counts. Moreover, there is an atmosphere of mutual trust and respect between us. I love my class; I love my classmates!
To be frank, I still have a thirst for my dream university, but I’m not afraid of failure because I can profit by it. With parents and teachers’ encouragement, I’m quite certain of my success and I’m sure I can fly high.
1. Why was the writer in low spirits at the beginning? (No more than 10 words)2. What did the teacher expect the writer to do? (No more than 10 words)
3. What is the main idea of Paragraph 5? (No more than 15 words)
4. What does the underlined word “embraced” in paragraph 5 mean in English?
5. What will you do if you are faced with failure? (No more than 20 words)
5 . I hear some actors keep a sad thought or memory tucked away to help them with scenes where they might need to cry. I think we should each try to find the opposite; a happy memory, something to lift us up on those inevitable down days. I’m saying this because I think I just found mine!
I had some work in Glasgow today. I was on a really tight schedule, which meant I would have no time for myself (or my own work) all day. I was having one of those days, the train was completely packed out and the conversation going on around me seemed to be particularly inane. On top of all that, I had a bit of a headache.
Walking briskly across the concourse, I fished some change from my pocket. There was usually someone at the exit selling The Big Issue (a magazine that helps homeless folk earn a living).
As the crowd parted ways at the bottom of the concourse, I saw someone selling the Big Issue. You had to be homeless to sell the Big Issue. She really looked like she’d been sleeping rough. Her clothes were ragged and she obviously hadn’t had a scrub up for quite a while.
As I approached the exit, I saw that she was also rocking from side to side. At first I thought maybe she was trying to keep warm against the biting wind. But she wasn’t, she was moving in time to a tune. I couldn’t hear her, but I could see her lips moving.
As I got closer, I saw a white cane hanging from her elbow and noticed that she had sunken eyes. She was blind, dirty and living on the streets. I came closer and through the noise of the traffic and the commuters I heard her sing the immortal line, “… and I think to myself, what a wonderful world!”
I bought her last magazine for twice what I’d originally intended. She thanked me, then she picked up her stuff and went tapping off along the pavement - still singing!
So, I have my happy memory for the day. And I think it will stay with me a long, long time. Feel free to borrow it if you like.
1. Why do some actors keep a sad thought or memory according to the passage?| A．Because some of them always feel unhappy | B．because they are scolded by the director |
| C．Because it helps meet the needs of their roles | D．Because they can’t find a happy memory |
| A．Made | B．exchanged | C．pull into | D．took out |
| A．Only those homeless people can sell the magazine |
| B．The author heard her singing as he came close to the exit |
| C．The girl selling the magazines was blind, dirty and homeless |
| D．The author never heard what the girl was singing |
| A．the author had a headache because of his busy work |
| B．the author bought more magazines than planned to |
| C．the girl went away as soon as she sold out magazines |
| D．the author felt unhappy because he missed his train |
| A．A happy Memory to Lift You Up |
| B．An Unforgettable Day I Experienced |
| C．The Roses in Her Hand: the Flavor in Mine |
| D．A Bird in the Hand is Worth than Two in the Bush. |
My grandma, an amazing woman, graduated from college an the age of 65. She was the first in our family to reach that goal. But one year after I started college, she developed cancer. I made the choice to withdraw from college to care for her. It meant that school and my personal dream would have to wait.
Then I got married with another dream: building my family with a combination of adopt and biological children. In 1999, we adopted our first son. To lay eyes on him was fantastic---and very emotional. A year later came our second adopted boy. Then followed son No. 3. In 2003, I gave birth to another boy.
You can imagine how fully occupied I became, raising four boys under the age of 81. Our home was a complete zoo---a joyous zoo. Not surprising, I never did make it back to college full-time. But I never gave up on the dream either. I had only one choice: to find a way. That meant talking as few as one class each semester.
The hardest part was feeling guilty about the time I spent away from the boys. They often wanted me to stay home with them. There certainly were times I wanted to quit, But I knew I should set an example for them to follow through the rest of their lives.
In 2007, I graduated from the University of North Carolina. It took me over 21 years to get my college degree！
I am not special, just single-minded. It always struck me that when you’re looking at a big challenge from the outside it looks huge, but when you’re in the midst of it, it just seems normal. Everything you want won’t arrive in your life on one day. It’s a process. Remember；little steps add up to big dreams.
1. When the author went to Howard University, her dream was to be____.
| A．a writer |
| B．a teacher |
| C．a judge |
| D．a doctor |
| A．She wanted to study by herself. |
| B．She fell in love and got married. |
| C．She suffered from a serious illness. |
| D．She decided to look after her grandma. |
| A．She was busy yet happy with her family life. |
| B．She ignored her guilty feeling for her sons. |
| C．She wanted to remain a full-time housewife. |
| D．She was too confused to make a correct choice. |
| A．Failure is the mother of success. |
| B．Little by little, one goes far. |
| C．Every coin has two sides. |
| D．Well begun, half done. |
| A．Caring and determined. |
| B．Honest and responsible. |
| C．Ambitious and sensitive. |
| D．Innocent and single-minded. |
