1 . When my daughter Sara was in the fifth grade, she came to me with a problem. “Marcy hates me!” she cried. “Because Kathy is my friend, too. She wants me to be her friend and nobody else’s. You talk to Marcy. You tell her that I want to be her friend, but I can have other friends, too!”
Oh! I looked at her for a few moments, wondering how I got into this mess (困境), when suddenly an idea came to me.
Picking up two baskets from the living room, I explained, “When everyone is born, he or she has a little basket. This little one here is yours. The big one is mine. As you grow, so does the basket. You can see your little basket is inside mine because when you were born, there were too many things you couldn’t do for yourself. I did everything you couldn’t do on your own.”
She nodded.
“Well, as you grew older and began to do some things on your own, I began placing a few more things in your basket. When you learned to tie your shoes, that went in your basket.”
She said softly, “I can tie my own shoes.”
“Right. As you grow older, there will be more and more things you must do on your own.” As I spoke, I gradually took her basket out of mine and handed it to her. “You will finally carry your own basket with things only you can do.”
She looked up at me and said, “I understand. There are some things that I have to do for myself because they are in my basket.”
1. What was Sara’s problem?| A．She didn’t have a basket. | B．She didn’t want her own basket. |
| C．She couldn’t deal with her friendship. | D．Her mother was too hard on her. |
| A．Angry. | B．Crazy. |
| C．Proud. | D．Helpless. |
| A．would talk to Marcy herself | B．wouldn’t make friends with Kathy |
| C．was too young to deal with anything | D．managed to persuade her mother to help her |
| A．gifts given by God when everyone is born |
| B．something that people use to keep vegetables |
| C．growing abilities as you grow up |
| D．friendship that needs repairing |
2 . There were smiling children all the way, waving to complete strangers and cheer them up as they rushed towards Penang. Often whole families stood outside their homes and waved and smiled as if those on the trains were their favorite relatives. This is the simple village people of Malaysia. I was moved.
I had always traveled to Malaysia by plane or car, so this was the first time I was on a train. I did not particularly relish the long train journey and had brought along a dozen magazines to read and reread. I looked about the train. There was not one familiar face. I sighed and sat down to read my Economics.
It was not long before the train was across the Causeway and in Malaysia. Johore Baru was just another city like Singapore, so I was tired of looking at the crowds of people as they hurried past. As we went beyond the city, I watched the straight rows of rubber trees and miles and miles of green. Then the first village came into sight, immediately I came alive; I decided to wave back.
From then on my journey became interesting. I threw my magazines into the waste basket and decided to join in Malaysian life. Then everything came alive. The mountains seemed to speak to me. Even the trees were smiling. I stared at everything as if I was looking at it for the first time.
The day passed fast and I even forgot to have my lunch until I felt hungry. I looked at my watch and was surprised that it was 3:00 pm. Soon the train pulled up at Butterworth. I looked at the people all around me. They all looked beautiful. When my uncle arrived with a smile, I threw my arms around him to give him a warm hug. I had never done this before. He seemed surprised and then his weather-beaten face warmed up with a huge smile. We walked arm in arm to his car.
I looked forward to the return journey.
1. The author expected the train trip to be ________ .| A．adventurous | B．pleasant | C．exciting | D．dull |
| A．The friendly country people. | B．The mountains along the way. |
| C．The crowds of people in the streets. | D．The simple lunch served on the train. |
| A．Choose. | B．Experience. | C．Enjoy. | D．Dislike. |
| A．Comfort in traveling by train. | B．Pleasure of living in the country. |
| C．Reading gives people delight. | D．Smiles brighten people up. |
3 . Brownie and Spotty were neighbor dogs who met every day to play together. Like pairs of dogs you can find in any neighborhood, these two loved each other and played together so often that they had worn a path through the grass of the field between their houses.
One evening, Brownie’s family noticed that Brownie hadn’t returned home. They went looking for him with no success. Brownie didn’t show up the next day, and, although they made their efforts to find him, by the next week he was still missing, Curiously, Spotty showed up at Brownie’s house alone, barking and jumping. Busy with their own lives, they paid no attention to the nervous little neighbor dog.
Finally, one morning Spotty refused to take “no” for an answer. Ted, Brownie’s owner, was continuously disturbed by the angry, determined little dog. Spotty followed Ted about, barking all the time, then darting toward a nearby empty lot and back, as if to say, “Follow me! It’s urgent!”
Eventually, Ted followed Spotty across the empty lot as Spotty stopped to race back and barked encouragingly. The little dog led the man to a deserted spot a half mile from the house. There Ted found his beloved Brownie alive, one of his legs crushed in a steel trap (圈套). Frightened, Ted now wished he had taken Spotty’s earlier appeals seriously.
Then Ted noticed something. Spotty had done something else besides leading Brownie’s human owner to his trapped friend. In a circle around the injured dog, Ted found some food remains of every meal. Brownie had been fed that week! Spotty had been visiting Brownie regularly, in the hope of keeping his friend alive. Spotty had actually stayed with Brownie to protect him from hunger and other dangers, and keep his spirits up.
Brownie’s leg was carefully treated and he soon got well again. For many years thereafter the two families watched the faithful friends chasing each other down that well-worn path between their houses.
1. At the very beginning, Ted paid little attention to Spotty because __________.| A．he was not free at the moment | B．he was sure Brownie would be OK |
| C．he didn’t like Spotty at all | D．his missing dog made him sad |
| A．rushing | B．shouting | C．walking | D．looking |
| A．managed to free his dog at once | B．was very thankful to Spotty |
| C．regretted not following Spotty earlier | D．was angry with the trap-maker |
| A．humans and animals depend on each other for comfort |
| B．it’s not right to hunt for animals in any neighborhood |
| C．Ted has to take better care of his beloved dog later on |
| D．Brownie would have died without Spotty’s timely help |
4 . Recently whenever I turned on my computer or my mobile phone, news about the great effect of Hurricane Harvey（哈维飓风）on thousands of people caught my eye. I saw many unfortunate events. However, there was also lots of bright news that showed the goodness of mankind. As a reporter, I reported many human-interest stories when doing my job, That’s why the story about the guys in the bakery（面包店）caught my eye.
When the workers at a Mexican bakery chain in Houston were trapped inside the building for two days, they didn't sit there feeling sorry for themselves. They used their time wisely after flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey. While waiting for the eventual rescue that came on Monday morning, the four workers decided to make as many loaves of bread as possible for people around the neighborhood. They talked to their manager about their plan over the phone and the manager agreed.
The flood water rose in the street outside. They took advantage of their emergency power supply to bake bread. They used more than 4,200 pounds of flour（面粉）to create hundreds of loaves and sheets of sweet bread. Although the water kept rising, they continued baking to help more people. By the time the manager managed to get to them, they had made so much bread that they took the loaves to lots of emergency centers across the city for people affected by the floods.
The store manager, Brian Alvarado, told The Independent, “They've done more than they should have done. And what they had done has lit a light for people. I feel lucky to have them work in the bakery.”
Whenever a disaster occurs, nobody should feelforlorn. Instead, we should stay hopeful and take positive action to save ourselves and help others. Our acts of kindness will make a big difference to the people in the world as well as the world itself.
1. Why did the story in the bakery draw the author’s attention?| A．It was helpful in choosing a good job. |
| B．It made him/her interested in baking. |
| C．It could bring him/her much money. |
| D．It showed the goodness of mankind. |
| A．They tried to get people out of water. |
| B．They set up emergency centers to help. |
| C．They offered to make bread for people. |
| D．They let homeless people live in the bakery. |
| A．He found them lucky. | B．He was proud of them. |
| C．They were experienced. | D．They were shy but brave. |
| A．Hopeless. | B．Confident. | C．Serious. | D．Angry. |
5 . Micha Porat was driving through Miami Beach a little after midnight when he saw a small animal, the size of a cat or a large rabbit, in the middle of the road. Even in the dark, Porat could see the animal moving slowly; it was clearly alive. So he stopped and got out of his car.
Porat was a self-employed marketer, and he also runs a popular and humorous Instagram account called Gomi the Frenchie, which tracks (追踪) the funny behaviors of his three-year-old sandy-colored French bulldog Gomi who has more than 87,000 followers.
He took the eight-pound animal home, and by 2 am he had posted a photo and video of the animal snuggling (依偎) up to Gomi. By the time the sun rose, thousands of people had seen the video. Gomi’s followers were about to come to the rescue of what turned out to be a partly blind and deaf Chihuahua. Later, some of them recognized the Chihuahua as a 14-year-old named Osita who belonged to Gustavo Briand, a salon owner in Miami Beach. Within a day, Osita and Briand were reunited.
The Chihuahua’s tale is part of a story that has become more common all over the country: An animal is lost. A message or picture is broadcast on social media. Hundreds of concerned “friends” repost the message or picture. The owner finds his or her lost animal, and they live happily ever after.
One New Jersey woman was reunited with her cat, Jimmy, two years after losing him, when she spotted him on a shelter’s Facebook page. A dog who ran away suddenly from his owner’s jeep at a music festival in Arizona was back with his owner after a blast on Facebook and Twitter.
“Social media is changing the results of pet tracking,” says Adriana Bradley, a founder of the Lost and Found Pets in North Jersey Project, a Facebook group. “Just sharing one post on social media can help, and so many people tell me that this is the only good reason for Facebook.”
1. What did Porat do after returning home?| A．He called on his fans to spread his story online. | B．He began to take care of the animal by himself. |
| C．He took the blind and deaf animal to the doctor. | D．He shared a picture of his pet and the animal online. |
| A．Serious warning. | B．Hot debate. | C．Heated repost. | D．Heavy attack. |
| A．Social media is changing our daily life. |
| B．Facebook helps pet lovers record their pets’ life. |
| C．The Internet helps reunite missing pets and their owners. |
| D．People should take photos of their pets in case they get lost. |
6 . One morning more than thirty years ago, I entered the Track Kitchen, a restaurant where everyone from the humblest (卑微的) to the most powerful came for breakfast. I noticed an empty chair next to an elderly, unshaven man, who looked somewhat disheveled. He was wearing a worn-out hat and was alone. I asked if I might join him. He agreed quietly and I sat down to have my breakfast.
We cautiously began a conversation and spoke about a wide range of things. We never introduced ourselves. I was concerned that he might have no money and not be able to afford something to eat. So as I rose to go back to the counter and buy a second cup of coffee, I asked,
“May I get you something?”
“A coffee would be nice.”
Then I bought him a cup of coffee. We talked more, and he accepted another cup of coffee, Finally, I rose to leave, wished him well, and headed for the exit. At the door I met one of my friends. He asked,
“How did you get to know Mr. Galbreath?”
“Who?”
“The man you were sitting with. He is chairman of the Board of Churchill Downs.”
I could hardly believe it. I was buying, offering a free breakfast, and feeling pity for one of the world’s richest and most powerful men!
My few minutes with Mr. Galbreath changed my life. Now I try to treat everyone with respect, no matter who I think they are, and to meet another human being with kindness and sincerity.
1. What does the underlined word “disheveled” mean?| A．Unfriendly. | B．Untidy. | C．Gentle. | D．Kind. |
| A．he thought the old man was poor. | B．he wanted to start a conversation. |
| C．he intended to show his politeness. | D．he would like to thank the old man. |
| A．Proud. | B．Pitiful. | C．Astonished. | D．Regretful. |
| A．We should learn to be generous. |
| B．It is honorable to help those in need. |
| C．People in high positions are not like what we expect. |
| D．We should avoid judging people by their appearances. |
7 . When Tara Wood brought her daughter to a grocery store to buy the four-year-old some cupcakes, she had no idea that would be a life—changing experience.
As Tara pushed her daughter Norah around the store last month, she passed an old man. The old man looked cold, until Norah shouted to him, “Hi! It's my birthday today!” The man stopped and his countenance changed from distant and serious to warm and friendly. “How old are you today?” the man asked. After some time talking together, Norah asked her mom to take a picture of her with her new friend “Mr Dan”, Dan Peterson, 82. They hugged and after ten minutes went their separate ways. That could have been the end of the story. But it is actually the beginning of a special relationship.
Tara posted the picture of her daughter and Mr. Dan on Facebook and someone who recognized him reached out to her with his contact information. It turned out that Mr. Dan's wife died in March and he had been suffering from depression and anxiety ever since. The person on Facebook told Tara that it was the first time they had seen Mr. Dan smile since the death of his wife. Knowing that, Tara contacted Mr. Dan, and ever since Norah and the 82-year-old have developed a friendship unlike any other. “She has shown me a depth of love, a depth that I didn't know existed,” Mr. Dan told the reporter.
Mr. Dan told Tara that after meeting Norah, he now sleeps soundly. For Mr. Dan's 82nd birthday on October 20, the mother and the daughter brought balloons and presents—and, of course, cupcakes. “If you don't take the time to notice people, you will never know how you can positively impact a life,” Tara Wood said.
1. Mr. Dan looked cold because ________.| A．he felt lonely | B．he disliked little kids |
| C．nobody had hugged him | D．he knew little about Norah |
| A．words | B．body | C．thoughts | D．expression |
| A．From a news reporter | B．From a stranger |
| C．From a shop assistant. | D．From his neighbor. |
| A．Giving makes a real difference. | B．It is important to respect each other. |
| C．We should not judge a person by his behavior. | D．Good things will happen if one keeps trying. |
8 . When I was 12 years old, I already knew that my teen years were going to be the worst years of my life. I was a total outsider, bullied （欺凌）at school. I felt completely alone in my small town.
But by starting to do volunteer work when I was 14, I turned my problem into a passion for helping others. The opportunity to practice kindness made me feel like my life had a greater purpose. The more positive energy 1 shared, the more kindness and appreciation I received, I realized that my purpose in life would be to reach out to people, specifically teenagers, and help them feel less alone.
Books were my true friends back then. I was so thankful that the authors wrote those books. The kindness they offered me with their books saved my life. One of my biggest dreams was to become an author so I could write books that would help other teenagers the way those books helped me.
After surviving the terrible experiences at school and at home, 1 made a choice to take the optimistic, positive road in the next steps of my journey. My dream career, one I thought was only possible for the authors I loved, is what I am doing now. I have been a full-time author of teen novels since 2007 and am grateful for this amazing opportunity to reach out to readers every single day.
Kindness saved me when I needed help the most. Even small acts of kindness can change someone's life. You never know what someone else is going through. But by practicing daily kindness, you become an architect of positive change.
1. What was the author's life like when he was 12?| A．Boring. | B．Peaceful. | C．Joyful. | D．Unhappy. |
| A．It helped him find the goal of life. |
| B．It made him energetic in his life. |
| C．It helped to shape his dream career. |
| D．It helped him understand others' lives better. |
| A．he was inspired by his teacher. |
| B．he found he had a talent for writing. |
| C．he could pass positive energy to readers. |
| D．he wanted to share his teenage experiences. |
| A．Say 'no' to bullies bravely. |
| B．Make positive changes in our lives. |
| C．Treat others with kindness in daily life. |
| D．Learn to care more about others' feelings. |
9 . Being a superhero to others
Ewan Drum has always liked superheroes. He likes how they help people. At age seven, he told his parents, “I want to dress up like a superhero and help the homeless. ”
When someone donated jugs(大罐) of water, Ewan and his family drove their car to get even more. They took the water to Flint, Michigan, a city that had unsafe drinking water. Another time, a businessman donated six turkeys(火鸡) for Thanksgiving.
Ewan has a motto: Everyone can be a superhero to someone. At an event called the Hero Round Table, Ewan told the audience,“It’ s not hard to help people.You can keep some socks and food in your car to help people in need. You can help a neighbor with doing the garden.
It' s been several years since Super Ewan started his task. Every month, he still visits the same park to hand out clothes, food, and supplies to people who are hungry or homeless ---his Super Friends.
“No matter what, ”Ewan says, “I will always keep helping people.”
| A．News spread about Ewan’ s act of kindness. |
| B．This superhero says he’ ll never take off his cape. |
| C．Ewan says he wants more adults to act like superheroes. |
| D．Every little thing helps and can make someone feel happy. |
| E．A few months later, Ewan ’s family planned a day of giving. |
| F．Several days later, his parents drove to Flint and helped him raise a lot of money. |
| G．With his parents’ help, Ewan asked for more turkeys through the Internet, plus side dishes. |
10 . Curtis Fraser was a fashion designer. One afternoon in August, when he reached out to measure some materials, he lost his balance and fell down. The accident left the 55—year—old unable to use his hands and feet. So he had to arrive at the strange London to begin his long recovery period.
Having long had an interest in birds, he discovered Horatio's Garden London & South East before long which belonged to the hospital. Then he visited this garden at least once a day.
Working in the garden helped his hands to function normally. Not only that, he also felt that there was a different feeling when he was in nature. He loved the sweet smell of the flowers and the colors of the plants. It's therapeutic(治愈的).
Fraser was eventually introduced to Ashley Edwards, the head gardener, in September, for one—to—one gardening lessons. “When Curtis first came in, he had very little hand function and was hardly able to hold tools,” says Edwards. “He required a lot of help in the gardening classes but, as each week goes by, I’ve seen a huge improvement in his movements.”
Fraser recalls the first lesson: “It was 80 good. We were chatting away and the time went by so quickly. Soon, I could do things that I didn't think I would ever do again.”
For Fraser, the garden offered relief(减轻) from the painful treatment. “It gave me clear thoughts. In the garden, I'd forget that I was in hospital. I'd come out and think, ‘Oh man, sill here’—but I'd get a good feeling from the garden.” Fraser has been in recovery for seven months and left hospital on March 1.
The new gardener now suggests the garden to fellow patients, who return to tell him about its unique benefits. “That garden helped my recovery so much. Even for a little moment, I'd tell people to visit one. It can clear your mind.”
1. What was Fraser' s hobby?| A．Designing houses. | B．Watching birds. |
| C．Collecting plants. | D．Studying materials. |
| A．Gardening benefited Fraser. |
| B．Fraser was unlucky. |
| C．Fraser had a gift for gardening. |
| D．Garden tools were hard to use. |
| A．It was a nice place to chat. |
| B．They could make more friends. |
| C．It offered an escape from reality. |
| D．They could get free classes there. |
| A．An Old Gardener | B．A Terrible Experience |
| C．Gardening Gets Popular | D．Gardening Works Wonders |
