1 . We were moving to a new state after my husband had been out of work for many months and we had no money. In fact, we had to borrow money to reach our destination town. Anyway, it was my husband, 2 boys aged 4 and 2, and myself, 7 months pregnant(怀孕的), in an old Volvo station wagon(旅行车). We had been driving for two days in the middle of winter (the car’s heater didn’t work), and we had taken a route that was very desolate. There was nothing around for miles-no cars, buildings, or signs of civilization. Suddenly, our car started losing power and the gauges(仪表) went all out of order. We saw a light in the distance and managed to roll to a stop in front of this property that looked like a small simple house. Our cell phones had not gotten reception for many miles, and it was freezing outside, so I didn’t know if we were going to make it out of this situation alive. My husband got out of the car to see if there was something he could do to get us rolling, but it was not looking good. A short while later, a man came out of the house and spoke with my husband a bit before inviting us all into his home. He and his wife took us in, fed us, and made us feel at home as we struggled to find some way to get to our destination, which was still a few hours’ drive away. We were able to call a friend and get a ride, leaving our broken car behind, but not before the couple gave us food and water for our journey. One week later, this clear sweet couple pulled our car all the way to our place and refused to take anything in return, except for us to pay it forward… and we have and will continue to do so forever.
1. The underlined word “desolate” probably means _________.| A．deserted | B．advanced |
| C．smooth | D．muddy |
| A．called her friends several miles away for help |
| B．stopped the car in front of a simple service station |
| C．was afraid that they couldn’t overcome the difficulty. |
| D．encouraged her husband and children to be confident |
| A．got out of their financial difficulty |
| B．met with more troubles after that |
| C．came back to thank the couple who had help them |
| D．followed the couple’s example to help others |
2 . My teenage son Karl became withdrawn after his father died. As a single parent, I tried to do my best to talk to him. But the more I tried, the more he pulled away. When his report card arrived during his junior year, it said that he had been absent（缺席的） 95 times from classes and had six falling grades for the year. In this way he would never graduate. I sent him to the school adviser, and I even begged him. Nothing worked.
One night I felt so powerless that I asked God for help. “Please God, I can’t do anything more for my son. I’m at the end of my rope. I’m giving the whole thing up to you.”
I was at work when I got a phone call. A man introduced himself as the headmaster. “I want to talk to you about Karl’s absences.” Before he could say another word, I choked up（哽咽）and all my disappointment and sadness over Karl came pouring out into the ears of this stranger. “I love my son, but I just don’t know what to do. I’ve tried everything to get Karl to go back to school and nothing has worked. It’s out of my hands.” For a moment there was silence on the other end of the line. The headmaster seriously said, “Thank you for your time”, and hung up.
Karl's next report card showed a marked（显著的） improvement in his grades. Finally, he was even on the list of the best students at school. In his fourth year, I attended a parent –– teacher meeting with Karl. I noticed that his teachers were surprised because he had changed himself completely. On our way home, he said, “Mum, remember that call from the headmaster last year?” I nodded. “That was me. I thought I'd play a joke，but when I heard what you said, it really hit me how much I was hurting you. That’s when I knew I had to make you proud.”
1. Which of the following has the similar meaning as the underlined word “withdrawn” in the first paragraph?| A．Quiet and lonely | B．Relaxed and excited |
| C．Talkative and lively | D．Happy and easy-going |
| A．often went to school late | B．failed in all the exams |
| C．did a good job at school | D．didn’t do well at school |
| A．didn’t know what to do about her son |
| B．would drive her son away from the house |
| C．had no money to support the family |
| D．she would have to hang up |
| A．The headmaster. | B．The school adviser. |
| C．Karl himself. | D．The passage doesn’t tell us. |
| A．children in single – parent families always have mental problems |
| B．mother’s love plays an important role in teenagers’ life |
| C．parents should give their children as much help as possible |
| D．school education still works well without support from parents |
3 . One stride at a time, Tom Panek and his guide dog, Gus, inch closer to their goal. The two have been training in local parks for more than three years with the hopes of competing in an official longdistance race. It’s never been done before. “I’ve been running my whole life. I ran on my crosscountry team in high school, and I ran as a young adult,” Panek said. He lost his sight 25 years ago. “When I lost my sight I was too scared to run,” Panek said.
As he adjusted to his blindness, he began running with a human guide, but it wasn’t the same. “Although many people run with running clubs, at the end of the day you’re running your own race. And when you’re tied to another person, it’s no longer your own race. The independence isn’t quite there,” Panek said.
Two years ago, Panek became the CEO of Guiding Eyes for the Blind. The idea of a running guide program was first suggested by Richard Hunter, who was blind and looking to get back in to running.
“Richard shouted out, ‘I’m really curious, have you ever trained a guide dog to run？’ And I said, ‘I don’t know. It hasn’t been done,’” Panek said.
A few months and intense training sessions later, the running guide program was born. Panek and a small team helped train Klinger, a German shepherd, to aid Hunter with running.
He formed a team of experts to train a small group of dogs to run long distances. The dogs begin their training at 18 months old. It’s an exclusive club. Out of 165 graduate dogs, only about 12 are considered race ready.
The team’s final test would be a fivemile race through New York’s Central Park just one week before the New York City Marathon. It was Panek’s and Gus’s first competitive race. Before the race, Panek was overcome with emotion, wiping away his tears of appreciation to the dog who gave him his independence back.
“And crossing that finish line, you know it was a momentous (关键的) occasion for me,” Panek said.
1. How did Panek think of running with a human guide?| A．Inspiring. | B．Challenging. |
| C．Rewarding. | D．Disappointing. |
| A．Training a dog guide to run. | B．Getting back to run as a blind man. |
| C．Starting a running guide program. | D．Running with a human guide. |
| A．Dogs are reluctant to run long distances. |
| B．Few dogs are qualified to guide in running. |
| C．Some dogs are born to be a guide in races. |
| D．Dogs need to be trained for 18 months. |
| A．He won a big prize with Gus’ help. |
| B．His guide dog was treated well in the race. |
| C．He got his independence once again. |
| D．He ran to the finishing line without stopping. |
4 . A 3-year-old boy who was lost in the woods for two days is now safe at home with his family. But Casey Hathaway told his rescuers that he was not alone in the rainy, freezing cold woods. He said he was with a friend — a bear.
The child went missing on January 22 while playing with friends near his grandmother's house in North Carolina. When the other children returned but Casey did not, the family searched the area for almost an hour before calling the police.
Police formed a search team to look for the young boy in the nearby woods. But two days went by and—no Casey.
Then on January 24, someone called the police saying he heard a child crying in the woods. Police followed up on the information and found Casey at about 9:30 that night. He was in good health.
Casey told the rescuers he had hung out with a black bear for two days, a bear he called his "friend".
The police officer Chip Hughes spoke with reporters from several news agencies. He said Casey did not say how he could survive in the woods for two days in the cold, rainy weather. "However," the police officer said, "he did say he had a friend in the woods that was a bear with him."
Hundreds of people helped in the search and rescue efforts, including some 600 volunteers, police and members of the army. Doctors at the medical center gave Casey some examination. He was then sent to his family on January 25.
His mother talked with reporters and thanked everyone who joined the search for her son. "We just want to tell everybody that we're very thankful that you took the time out to search for Casey," said his mother. "He is up and talking He's already asked to watch cartoons."
1. When did Caseyget lost?| A．On January24. |
| B．After a 911 call. |
| C．Before his playmates returned home. |
| D．After he left his grandmother's house. |
| A．He survived with the help of a bear. |
| B．The rescuers rescued him from a bear. |
| C．Someone offered key information to find him. |
| D．He was eventually found by officer Hughes. |
| A．To report the detailed situation. |
| B．To show her gratitude and relief. |
| C．To invite everyone to watch her child. |
| D．To appreciate searchers and the bear. |
| A．A newsreport | B．A guidebook. |
| C．A diary. | D．An adverisement |
5 . Every man wants his son to be somewhat of a clone, not in features but in footsteps. As he grows you also age, and your ambitions become more unachievable. You begin to realize that your boy, in your footsteps, could probably accomplish what you hoped for. But footsteps can be muddied and they can go off in different directions.
My son Jody has hated school since day one in kindergarten. Science projects waited until the last moment. Book reports weren’t written until the final threat.
I’ve been a newspaperman all my adult life. My daughter is a university graduate working towards her master’s degree in English. But Jody? When he entered the tenth grade he became a “vo-tech” student (技校学生). They’re called “motorheads” by the rest of the student body.
When a secretary in my office first called him “motorhead”, I was shocked. “Hey, he’s a good kid, ” I wanted to say. “And smart, really.”
I learned later that motorheads are, indeed, different. They usually have dirty hands and wear dirty work clothes. And they don’t often make school honor rolls (光荣榜).
But being the parent of a motorhead is itself an experience in education. We who labor in clean shirts in offices don’t have the abilities that motorheads have. I began to learn this when I had my car crashed. The cost to repair it was estimated at $800. “Hey, I can fix it,” said Jody. I doubted it, but let him go ahead, for I had nothing to lose.
My son, with other motorheads, fixed the car. They got parts from a junkyard, and ability from vo-tech classes. The cost was $25 instead of $800.
Since that first repair job, a broken air-conditioner, a non-functioning washer and a non-toasting toaster have been fixed. Neighbours and co-workers trust their car repairs to him.
These kids are happiest when doing repairs. They joke and laugh and are living in their own relaxed world. And their minds are bright despite their dirty hands and clothes.
I have learned a lot from my motorhead: publishers need printers, engineers need mechanics, and architects need builders. Most important, I have learned that fathers don’t need clones in footsteps or anywhere else.
My son may never make the school honor roll. But he made mine.
1. What used to be the author’s hope for his son?| A．To avoid becoming his clone. | B．To resemble him in appearance. |
| C．To develop in a different direction. | D．To reach the author’s unachieved goals. |
| A．His daughter does better in school. |
| B．His daughter has got a master’s degree. |
| C．His son tried hard to finish homework. |
| D．His son couldn’t write his book reports. |
| A．his son had the ability to fix it | B．it would save him much time |
| C．it wouldn’t cause him any more loss | D．other motorheads would come to help |
| A．It is unwise to expect your child to follow your path. |
| B．It is important for one to make the honor roll. |
| C．Architects play a more important role than builders. |
| D．Motorheads have greater ability than office workers. |
6 . For years I wanted a flower garden, but with five children I was too busy to have one. Money was limited(有限的), and so was time. Often one of the children would want something that cost too much, and I would say, “Do you see a money tree outside? Money doesn’t grow on trees, you know.” Finally, when all five had gotten through high school and college, and had started having their own families, I started thinking again about having a garden. However, I knew gardens cost money.
Then, one spring morning on Mother’s Day, as I was working in my kitchen, I heard cars drive by and looked out of the window to see a new tree planted in my yard. I couldn’t believe my eyes: it was a money tree! Dollar bills were stuck all over that tree, and there was a note which read: “I owe you eight hours of digging time. Love, Marvin.”
Marvin, my first son, kept his promise. He dug up a nice ten-by-fifteen-foot bed(花坛，花圃) for me. My other children bought me tools, a sunflower stepping stone(踏脚石) and gardening books. We built a garden together.
That was three years ago. My garden is now very pretty, and just what I’d always wanted. When I go out to weed or tend my flowers, I don’t seem to miss my children as much as I once did. It feels as if they were right there with me. When I think about what my children have done for me, I get tears in my eyes every time.
I’m still not sure whether money grows on trees. But I know love does!
1. Why had the author(作者) never had a flower garden before?| A．Because she didn’t have enough time and money. |
| B．Because she had five children to take care of. |
| C．Because her children wanted expensive things. |
| D．Because her children were going to high school and college. |
| A．Her neighbor. | B．Her first son. |
| C．Her five children. | D．Her husband. |
| A．Because she has a big money tree. |
| B．Because she has a very pretty garden. |
| C．Because she is busy weeding or tending her flowers. |
| D．Because she feels the love of her children in the garden. |
| A．how to grow your own money tree | B．the story of pretty garden |
| C．a story of the love between a mother and her children | D．the story of a money tree |
7 . After giving a talk at a high school, I was asked to pay a visit to a special student. An illness had kept the boy home, but he had expressed an interest in meeting me, and it would mean a great deal to him. I agreed.
During the nine-mile drive to his home, I found out something about Matthew. He had muscular dystrophy(肌肉萎缩症). When he was born, the doctor told his parents that he would not live to see five, then they were told he would not make it to ten. Now he was thirteen. He wanted to meet me because I was a gold-medal power lifter, and I knew about overcoming obstacles and going for my dreams.
I spent over one hour talking to Matthew. Never once did he complain or ask, “Why me?” He spoke about winning and succeeding and going for his dreams. Obviously, he knew what he was talking about. He didn’t mention that his classmates had made fun of him because he was different. He just talked about his hopes for the future, and how one day he wanted to lift weight with me.
When we finished talking, I went to my briefcase and pulled out the first gold medal I won and put it around his neck. I told him he was more of a winner and knew more about success and overcoming obstacles than I ever would. He looked at it for a moment, then took it off and handed it back to me. He said, “You are a champion. You earned that medal. Someday when I get to the Olympics and win my own medal, I will show it to you.”
Last summer I received a letter from Matthew’s parents telling me that Matthew had passed away. They wanted me to have a letter he had written to me a few days before:
Dear Rick,
My mom said I should send you a thank-you letter for the picture you sent me. I also want to let you know that the doctors tell me that I don’t have long to live anymore. But I still smile as much as I can.
I told you someday I was going to the Olympics and win a gold medal. But I know now I will never get to do that. But I know I’m a champion, and God knows that too. When I get to Heaven, God will give me my medal and when you get there, I will show it to you. Thank you for loving me.
Yours,
Matthew
1. The boy wanted to meet the author because _______.| A．he was interested in weight lifting | B．he wanted to get a gold medal |
| C．he admired the author very much | D．he wanted the author to know him |
| A．Why do you come to see me? | B．Why do I have to stay at home? |
| C．Why does the disease fall on me | D．Why not give a gold medal to me |
| A．Matthew is a determined boy | B．Rick used to have the same disease |
| C．Matthew became a champion finally | D．Rick regarded Matthew as normal |
| A．he was not worthy of it | B．he would not be pitied by others |
| C．he knew he would die soon | D．he thought he himself could earn one in the future |
8 . A Turning Point
Seventy years ago I was quite a small little girl. My father was very ill then, and my mother took in sewing(缝纫) of any kind so we could live. She would sew far into the night with an old sewing machine. She never complained even when the food would be very scarce(稀少).
Things were very bad that winter. Then a letter came from where her sewing machine was bought, saying that they would have to pick up her machine the next day unless payments were brought up to date. I remember when she read the letter I became frightened, I could picture us starving to death and all sorts of things that could come to a child's mind. My mother did not appear to be worried. However, she seemed to be quite calm about the matter. She said God would not disappoint her. I couldn’t see how God was going to help us keep this old sewing machine.
The day when the men came for our machine arrived. There was a knock at the kitchen door. I was frightened as a child would be, for I was sure it was those men who would take away our sewing machine. Instead, a nicely dressed man stood at our door with a darling baby in his arms.
He asked my mother if she was Mrs. Hill. When she said she was, he said, "I’m in trouble this morning and you have been recommended（推荐)by the neighbors as an honest and wonderful woman. My wife was rushed to the hospital this morning, and since we have no relatives here, and I must open my dentist office, I have nowhere to leave my baby. Could you possibly take care of her for a few days?" He continued, "I will pay you in advance." With this he took out ten dollars and gave it to my mother.
Mother said, "Yes, yes, I will be glad to do so," and took the baby from his arms. When the man left, my mother turned to me with tears streaming down a face that looked as though a light was shining on it. She said, "I knew God would never let them take away my machine."
1. The turning point in the story may refer to ______.| A．a letter to the family | B．the man’s coming for help |
| C．the man’s wife being rushed to the hospital | D．the man’s trouble |
| A．The people around him recommended the mother to him. |
| B．He was familiar with the mother. |
| C．The mother had sewn for him. |
| D．The mother was hired by the man. |
| A．his wife stayed in hospital | B．he was a dentist |
| C．he had no relatives here to turn to for help | D．he came for our sewing machine |
| A．God can’t live without the machine. | B．The sewing machine is my only support. |
| C．Never give up when in trouble. | D．Everybody should believe in God. |
9 . Marie, an 85-year-old woman who had been bedridden (卧床不起的) for 10 years, was granted her biggest wish to look at the sea again with help from East Coast Radio and Netcare 911.
About 10 years ago, Marie had an unsuccessful back operation which left her bedridden. She then had to stay in an old age home and needed constant care. “The only time she could go outside was when she was taken to hospital over the years,” said Lucy, Marie’s daughter.
Lucy wrote an e-mail to East Coast Radio in April asking them to help her take her mother to the beach because it was her biggest wish. She told them that her mother just wanted to go and look at the sea and go back again to the home, that’s all. East Coast Radio did an interview with the family and agreed to make her wish come true.
Two weeks later, a team of Netcare 911 paramedics (医护人员) fetched Marie from the old age home and took her in a stretcher to Amanzimtoti Beach. One of the paramedics found a bucket and collected some sea water for her to put her hands in. She also got a chance to touch the sand.
Marie said, “Thanks to these kind people, I could get to the beach again, which may be the last time for me.”
1. Why did Marie become bedridden?| A．Because of her old age. | B．Because of a failed operation. |
| C．Because of a traffic accident. | D．Because of little medical care. |
| A．Her family. | B．People from Amanzimtoti Beach. |
| C．East Coast Radio. | D．A team of Netcare 911 paramedics. |
| A．Hopeful. | B．Embarrassed. |
| C．Thankful. | D．Disappointed. |
| A．An old woman became bedridden because of bad luck. |
| B．Kind people helped a bedridden woman realize her wish. |
| C．East Coast Radio and Netcare 911 always help poor people. |
| D．Amanzimtoti Beach is a beautiful place people wish to visit. |
10 . Najib is an Afghan who grew up in Iran. He led a tough life. When he found his children would be in the same situation, his family initially returned to Afghanistan. But with the country filled with conflicts, they decided to leave for Indonesia.
“When we first came here, we were in a bad situation. Its language, culture and even weather were different. We had moved away from friends and family,” says Najib. “I was in a tough position but I acted strong because there were no other choices.”
Refugees (难民) cannot work in Indonesia and there are limited choices for refugee children to attend local schools. Determined to avoid such a fate, a group of refugees in Puncak took action and scraped together (东拼西凑) their resources to set up a school—the Refugee Learning Center (RLC).
“Our only goal and task is to provide basic education, and prepare the refugee children for their future,” says Abdullah Sarwari. “We’re also trying to provide a normal life as much as possible for them.”
The RLC has also started offering Bahasa Indonesia classes to the refugee community. “Between the refugee and the local community, I feel like there’s a language barrier which stops the refugee from having an honest and open interaction with Indonesians,” says Abdullah.
“If you try your best, to learn the language of a particular place or country, it really helps make things easier,” says Najib. He is among those who signed up for classes, although he admits progress has been slow. But life has improved in some ways for him and his family.
Najib says, “The centre is an opportunity for refugee to show that they are not a burden. If they have the opportunity, they can accomplish big and great things like this.”
1. Why did Najib decide to leave for Indonesia?| A．To escape the conflict in Afghanistan. |
| B．To experience Indonesian culture. |
| C．To help refugees in Indonesia. |
| D．To get equal rights to vote. |
| A．To help them learn English. |
| B．To make them stay away from bad luck. |
| C．To provide them with chances to live in Indonesia. |
| D．To make them have access to receiving basic education. |
| A．He is the leader of refugees. |
| B．He founded the RLC himself. |
| C．He studies Indonesian in the RLC. |
| D．He lives a wealthy life in Indonesia. |
| A．The Goal of Founding a School |
| B．A School for Refugees by Refugees |
| C．A Reason for Leaving for Indonesia |
| D．The Benefit of Learning a New Language |
