1 . Kincaid looked at his watch: eight-seventeen. The truck started on the second try, and he backed out, shifted gears, and moved slowly down the alley under hazy sun. Through the streets of Bellingham he went, heading south on Washington 11, running along the coast of Puget Sound for a few miles, then following the highway as it swung east a little before meeting U.S Route 20.
Turning into the sun, he began the long, winding drive through the Cascades. He liked this country and felt impressed，stopping now and then to make notes about interesting possibilities for future expeditions or to shoot what he called “memory snapshots.” The purpose of these causal photographs was to remind him of places he might want to visit again and approach more seriously. In later afternoon he turned north at Spokane, picking up U.S Route 2, which would take him halfway across the northern United States to Duluth, Minnesota.
He wished for the thousandth time in his life that he had a dog, a golden retriever, maybe, for travels like this and to keep him company at home. But he was frequently away; overseas much of the time and it would not be fair to the animal. Still, he thought about it anyway. In a few years he would be getting too old for the hard fieldwork. “I must get a dog then.” He said to himself.
Drives like this always put him into a sentimental mood. The dog was part of it. Robert Kincaid was alone as it’s possible to be – an only child, parents both dead, distant relatives who had lost track of him and he of them, no close friends.
He thought about Marian. She had left him nine years ago after five years of marriage. He was fifty–two now, that would make her just under forty. Marian had dreams of becoming a musician, a folksinger. She knew all of the Weavers’ songs and sang them pretty well in the coffeehouse of Seattle. When he was home in the old days, he drove her to the shows and sat in the audience while she sang.
His long absences – two or three months sometimes – were hard on the marriage. He knew that. She was aware of what he did when they decided to get married, and both of them had a vague (not clear) sense that it could all be handled somehow. It couldn’t when he came from photographing a story in Iceland and, she was gone. The note read, “Robert, it didn’t work out, I left you the Harmony guitar. Stay in touch.”
He didn’t stay in touch. Neither did she. He signed the divorce papers when they arrived a year later and caught a plane for Australia the next day. She had asked for nothing except her freedom.
1. Which statement is true according to the passage?| A．Kincaid’s parents were dead and he only kept in touch with some distant relatives. |
| B．Kincaid would have had a dog if he hadn’t been away from home too much. |
| C．Kincaid used to have a golden retriever. |
| D．Kincaid needed a dog in doing his hard fieldwork. |
| A．To write “memory snapshots”. |
| B．To remind himself of places he might want to visit again. |
| C．To avoid forgetting the way back. |
| D．To shoot beautiful scenery along the road. |
| A．She died after five years of marriage. |
| B．She was older than Kincaid. |
| C．She could sing very well and earned big money. |
| D．She was not a professional pop singer. |
| A．Marian knew what would happen before she married Kincaid. |
| B．Kincaid thought his absence would be a problem when he married Marian. |
| C．It turned out that Marian could not stand Kincaid’s absence and left him. |
| D．After Marian left him, they still kept in touch with each other. |
2 . Two of the saddest words in the English language are “if only”. I live my life with the goal of never having to say those words, because they convey regret, lost opportunities, mistakes, and disappointment.
My father is famous in our family for saying, “Take the extra minute to do it right.” I always try to live by the “extra minute” rule. When my children were young and likely to cause accidents, I always thought about what I could do to avoid an “if only” moment, whether it was something minor like moving a cup full of hot coffee away from the edge of a counter, or something that required a little more work such as taping padding (衬垫) onto the sharp corners of a glass coffee table.
I don’t only avoid those “if only” moments when it comes to safety. It’s equally important to avoid “if only” in our personal relationships. We all know people who lost a loved one and regretted that they had foregone an opportunity to say “I love you” or “I forgive you.” When my father announced he was going to the eye doctor across from my office on Good Friday, I told him that it was a holiday for my company and I wouldn’t be here. But then I thought about the fact that he’s 84 years old and I realized that I shouldn’t give up an opportunity to see him. I called him and told him I had decided to go to work on my day off after all.
I know there will still be occasions when I have to say “if only” about something, but my life is definitely better because of my policy of doing everything possible to avoid that eventuality. And even though it takes an extra minute to do something right, or it occasionally takes an hour or two in my busy schedule to make a personal connection, I know that I’m doing the right thing. I’m buying myself peace of mind and that’s the best kind of insurance for my emotional well-being.
1. Which of the following is an example of the “extra minute” rule?| A．Start the car the moment everyone is seated. |
| B．Leave the room for a minute with the iron working. |
| C．Wait for an extra minute so that the steak tastes better. |
| D．Move an object out of the way before it trips someone. |
| A．keep her appointment with the eye doctor |
| B．meet her father who was already an old man |
| C．join in the holiday celebration of the company |
| D．finish her work before the deadline approached |
| A．abandoned | B．lacked |
| C．avoided | D．taken |
| A．To Keep Emotional Well-being | B．To Prevent “If Only” Moments |
| C．To Follow the Most Useful Rule | D．To Achieve the Peace of Mind |
3 . With a satisfied smile, Keisha finished the last sentence of her English essay about one of her heroes, Rosa Parks, an important figure in the Civil Rights Movement.
“Keisha,” her mother shouted from downstairs. “It’s almost 4:15.”
“Don’t worry. I won’t be late. ” Keisha pulled down a storybook from her bookshelf， as she always read to the nursing home’s residents. And on an impulse（一时心血来潮）, she added her English notebook as well.
As Keisha came running in the door, the manager told her, “We have a new resident this week, Mrs. Ruby Watson. She’s still adjusting to her new surroundings. You’ll find her in Room 28. And by the way, Keisha, good luck.”
Keisha walked down the hallway at a quick pace. As she entered Room 28, she met two sharp brown eyes staring at her doubtfully.
“I’m Keisha Jackson, a volunteer,” Keisha explained. “I come here to help pass the time with residents, or read to them, or, . . .” Keisha started stammering（结巴）as Mrs.
Watson continued to stare at her.
“I didn’t request anyone to keep me company,” Mrs. Watson interrupted. “I’m alone most of the time, and that’s how I prefer it.”
“I brought along some funny stories,” Keisha said hesitantly.
“I’m not in the mood for funny stories,” Mrs. Watson replied angrily. “What else do you have?”
Nervously, Keisha opened her notebook to her essay. She read the title aloud, “Rosa
Parks: A Woman of Courage and Conviction（信念）.” She glanced at Mrs. Watson to see how she might react, but to her surprise, Mrs. Watson’s face relaxed and her eyes shone.
“Read to me about Rosa,” Mrs. Watson said.
Keisha read how Rosa Parks’ refusal to give up her seat to a white passenger on a bus in 1955 inspired the protest that became a turning point in the struggle for civil rights.
“I walked with Rosa Parks and Dr. Martin Luther King,” Mrs. Watson said with pride. “That was the greatest moment of my life because…” She paused.
“Because… you were a woman of courage and conviction too.”
Sitting up straighter, Mrs. Watson said, “Yes, I was and I still am. Thank you for reminding me, Keisha. Next Thursday, I will tell you my story.”
1. Why did Keisha take her English notebook along?| A．Her mother asked her to take it. | B．She would hand it in on her way. |
| C．She might read her essay to someone. | D．The manager wanted to read her essay. |
| A．Mrs. Watson could be difficult. | B．Mrs. Watson was in poor health. |
| C．Keisha was feeling nervous. | D．Keisha was a shy person. |
| A．amused | B．puzzled |
| C．annoyed | D．interested |
| A．It aroused her curiosity in volunteer work. |
| B．It built up her expectation for more visitors. |
| C．It awoke her pride in her struggle for civil rights. |
| D．It changed her attitude to the Civil Rights Movement. |
| A．a girl enjoys learning about her heroes | B．a girl helps someone feel appreciated |
| C．a woman overcomes hardship by herself | D．a woman gathers the courage for life |
4 . My grandmother grew up in a world different from me. She experienced many things in her long life.
Though she never told stories, her stories were in the way she ate — she savored (品味) her food, cherished (珍惜) it. Often she would be the first to sit at the dinner table, and the last to leave. Food had been really scarce (缺乏) when she grew up.
Her stories were in the way she handed me lucky money. From a young age, my grandmother was brought up to understand the importance of hard work and the necessary of saving. Every Chinese New Year, I would be handed, or sent, a small red envelope that contained money, but never more than twenty dollars. When I was young , I didn’t understand why my grandmother gave me such a small amount of money. As I grew older, I realized that she wasn’t teaching me about money, but about tradition and hard work and family. The money was insignificant. I would probably spend it on any toy that I would lose soon after; it was the meaning behind her gift that mattered. It was her saying, “ I love you; I am your family and I want you to work hard as your family has before you.”
My grandmother’s stories were lessons. But they were never told in words. From the time that I was very young, up until she could barely remember my name, I remember her calling me “good girl”. Those two little words, in the course of my growing up, were a constant reminder that I was still so young, with still so far to go.
Now my grandmother is gone, but I see her every day. I see her in the women around me and in the mirror. She lives with me, inside me, and in the legacies(遗产)that I will create. And I know she would be proud.
1. The Author’s grandmother spent so much time eating at the table because ________.| A．she had no teeth | B．she had nothing to do |
| C．she was preparing to clear the table | D．she really wanted to enjoy the food |
| A．Her grandmother didn’t have much money. |
| B．Her grandmother preferred boys to girls. |
| C．It was a shame to accept others’ money. |
| D．It was important for her to work hard. |
| A．She was really a good girl. |
| B．She needed to continually improve herself. |
| C．She should be proud of her manners and behaviors. |
| D．She was always a good girl in her grandmother’s eyes. |
| A．She loved telling stories. |
| B．She had never worked in her life. |
| C．She set a great example for the author. |
| D．She was a mean woman with old-fashioned values. |
5 . One day, a young soldier walked up to a much decorated senior officer in the army and asked him: “Sir, what is the secret of your success in the army? I want to be an officer too.”
The officer looked at the young soldier steadily (一动不动地) for about three minutes and gave him a threatening (带有威胁的) order. He gave the young soldier a cup full of water and told him to walk round the training field five times. He clearly told him that his life depended on it, and if a drop of water fell from the cup, another soldier would shoot him on the head. Four soldiers were strategically (战略上的) positioned to shoot him down once a drop of water fell from the cup.
Seeing how serious the whole thing turned out, he took the cup full of water and went out to complete his task. The young soldier carefully walked round the training field five times without letting a drop fall from the cup. On completion of the task, he returned the full cup to the senior officer.
When the officer saw what he did to protect his life by not allowing a drop of water out of the cup, he asked him the following questions:
“Did you see those beautiful girls dancing at the nearby market?"
The young soldier replied, “No.”
“Did you see those soldiers playing football in the field?”
The young soldier replied, “No.”
“What about those people fighting across the other side of the field?”
The young soldier replied, “No.”
Then, the officer looked at him and said, “If you focus on your task, you will succeed and protect your life too.”
At last, the young soldier left happily.
1. What did the soldier ask the officer to do?| A．Give him a cup full of water. | B．Tell him how to be successful. |
| C．Walk round the training field. | D．Appoint him as an officer. |
| A．Four soldiers were shooting at him. |
| B．Some soldiers were fighting in the field. |
| C．Some soldiers were playing football in the field. |
| D．Some girls were dancing in the playground. |
| A．To kill him on purpose. | B．To warn him not to drop any water. |
| C．To train the other soldiers. | D．To teach him to concentrate on things. |
| A．He would learn the secret of success. |
| B．He would practice walking steadily and fast. |
| C．He would buy some gifts to thank the officer. |
| D．He would stay focused on what he was doing. |
6 . My daughter and I collected the empty cans and bottles in our home this morning. We had 6 full garbage bags later so I knew we would be spending a bit more of time at the recycling center. When we got there, a man and his kids were also doing the morning recycling and were using two of the four machines to recycle their plastic and cans. Luckily, we were able to use the 2 remaining machines.
Of course, there were others that came, but when they saw the two families with garbage bags full of recycled things, they quickly left. However, one woman came in with just 5 cans and looked as if she was in a hurry. So I stopped what I was doing and let her in to recycle her cans. Of course, she was grateful, and it felt good to let her go ahead of me. But that was not the whole story.
My daughter and I continued to work through the bags, but the plastic recycling machine stopped working because it was full, My daughter was left with nothing to do. The other family was still using the other two plastic recycling machines, but it seemed that they were almost done. I just told my daughter we would have to wait until they were done. But the man of the other family came through with another act of kindness. He offered to let us go ahead of him. I was really surprised, because we had more than 5 bottles, but he didn't seem to mind. I happily accepted it.
It was great to give and then to get an act of kindness in turn. It was small, I didn't expect it, but it surely brightened up my day.
1. From Paragraph 1 we can learn that _____________.| A．the author did collecting every morning |
| B．the author usually had 6 bags of cans to recycle |
| C．most people did recycling in the morning |
| D．there were four recycling machines in all |
| A．there were many other families there |
| B．the woman seemed to be in a hurry |
| C．the author wanted to hear a story |
| D．the woman was very grateful |
| A．Because her daughter's machine stopped working. |
| B．Because the other family was still using the machines. |
| C．Because she let the other family use her machine first. |
| D．Because she helped recycle the other family's bags first. |
| A．The kindness. | B．The offer. |
| C．The machine. | D．The 5 bottles. |
7 . "How do you account for your remarkable accomplishment in Queen Victoria of the UK asked Helen Keller. "How do you explain the fact that even though you were both blind and deaf you were able to accomplish so much?"
Ms. Keller's answer is a tribute (致敬) to her dedicated teacher. "If it had not been for Anne Sullivan, the name of Helen Keller would have remained unknown.”
According to speaker Zig Ziglar, "Little Annie" Sullivan, as she was called when she was young, was no stranger to hardship. She was almost sightless herself and was, at one time, diagnosed as hopelessly "insane" by her caregivers. She was locked in the basement of a mental institution outside of Boston. On occasion, Little Annie would violently attack anyone who came near. Most of the time she generally ignored everyone in her presence.
An elderly nurse believed there was hope, however, and she made it her mission to show love to the child. Every day she visited Little Annie. For the most part, the child did not acknowledge the nursed presence, but she still continued to visit. The kind woman left cookies for her and spoke words of love and encouragement. She believed Little Annie could recover, if only she were shown love.
Eventually, doctors noticed the change in the girl. Where they once witnessed anger and hatred, they now noted a gentleness and love. They moved her upstairs where she continued to improve. Then the day finally came when this seemingly "hopeless'' child was released.
Anne Sullivan grew into a young woman with a desire to help others as she herself was helped by the kind nurse. It was she who saw the great potential in Helen Keller. She loved her, disciplined her, played with her, pushed her and worked with her until the flickering candle that was her life became a beacon of light to the world. Anne Sullivan worked wonders in Helen's life; but it was a loving nurse who first believed in Little Annie and lovingly transformed an uncommunicative child into a compassionate teacher.
“If it had not been for Anne Sullivan, the name of Helen Keller would have remained unknown." But if it had not been for a kind and dedicated nurse, the name of Anne Sullivan would have remained unknown.
1. The dialogue between Queen Victoria and Helen Keller is mentioned mainly to .| A．show a deep admiration for Helen Keller |
| B．prove that Helen Keller made a great contribution |
| C．begin telling the story of Helen Keller teacher Anne Sullivan |
| D．get the reader interested in how Helen Keller achieved so much |
| A．Sullivan had a strange disease. |
| B．Almost everyone ignored Sullivan. |
| C．Sullivan was kept away from her parents. |
| D．Sullivan was believed to have a mental problem. |
| A．Sullivan liked the nurse from the very beginning. |
| B．Sullivan experienced firsthand how terrible the life of a deaf child was. |
| C．The elderly nurse had no doubt that Sullivan would be a great teacher. |
| D．Without the nurse, Sullivan couldn't have helped Helen Keller later. |
| A．The Power of Love |
| B．Making a Difference |
| C．The Secret to Being a Good Teacher |
| D．Similarities Between Anne and Helen |
8 . Recently, as I watched my son Nathan play basketball for his school team, I was feeling sorry for myself and for him. His team was facing adversity(困境) on the court, trailing for three quarters of the game. As for me, I had just been dismissed from my job.
As I watched what my son was experiencing, I recalled the events earlier in the day—packing up everything in a box and saying goodbye to my colleagues. During the drive home, I kept telling myself that I will find work again—I am confident in my experience and abilities, but self-doubt was still sticking its foot in the door.
The game entered the fourth quarter with Nathan’s team still trailing. I saw the determination on his back to not only tie the game, but then go ahead by three points. Then, a player from the other team made an unbelievable shot to tie the game up again. With a tie game and seconds on the clock, Nathan found himself with the ball and with skill and confidence, he made the basket with a defender hanging all over him. The other player was called for a foul(犯规).
As Nathan stood preparing for a shot that would put his team up by three points, I saw the focus and determination on his face, with no room for self-doubt. After he made the free throw, his team managed to stop the other team from scoring, winning the game and moving on to the finals.
As I sat there, my heart bursting with pride, it dawned on me. I had taught him perseverance(毅力) in the face of adversity, and he had just taught me the same lesson. That brief moment of self-doubt and feeling sorry for myself was blown away by the actions of my son on the basketball court. He will play in the finals, but it doesn’t matter if he wins or loses. At this moment, we both won.
1. We can learn from the text that ________.| A．I lost my job for lack of experience and abilities. |
| B．Nathans team won a narrow victory in the basketball game. |
| C．I was proud of Nathan because he won the game in the finals. |
| D．Nathan had never doubted himself whenever he was in trouble. |
| A．losing | B．falling behind |
| C．being defeated | D．winning |
| A．My son would win in the finals and I would find a job soon. |
| B．I had once taught my son face to face that we should never give up. |
| C．It was my encouragement and help that made my son win the game. |
| D．I would become more confident about my future after this experience. |
| A．An Inspiring Game | B．A Moment of Self-doubt |
| C．Lesson from My Son | D．An Unforgettable Experience |
9 . You Mi, a lovely and confident 17-year-old student, is the first Chinese high school student to appear on the cover of the popular young adults’ fashion magazine Seventeen.
“You is IN,” said Wang Lihua, Editor-in-Chief of Seventeen. “She is active and mature (成熟的) because of her knowledge on everything from academic studies, to books on art, to movies. We found she’s the very style we’re looking for to represent young people’s attitudes.”
You also impressed Wang with her fluent English when they first met last year. As the hostess of an English broadcasting programme at the High School Affiliated to Renmin University, You is always praised for speaking English almost like a native speaker. “I’ve built up my English by watching thousands of English DVDs since I was 10,” she explained.
But for You, watching isn’t enough. Last year, while in Senior 1, she met a talented boy who showed self-made DV movies at the English Corner in her school.
“I thought it was so cool and I knew that I should start making my own films,” she said. So she wrote a campus (校园 ) story, persuaded schoolmates to star in it and then began shooting a 30-minute DV movie, all in English. “I played one of the leading roles， actually I was everything in my film. I worked on it every single day during the SARS holidays,” she recalled. The movie finally became a big hit on campus, earning You a strong reputation (名气) as a DV movie director.
But this is not the only field she wants to master. Despite being a science student, You likes art, literature and fashion design very much.
“There are people who can be artists，there are people who edit books, and there are people who become film producers. But I just hope to mix all the things up!” she said. “There is an old saying I believe: Chance favours only the prepared mind.”
1. You Mi was chosen to be a cover of Seventeen, mainly because she _____.| A．is beautiful |
| B．she is lovely and full of confidence |
| C．is active and mature |
| D．has rich knowledge |
| A．her chance to host an English broadcasting programme |
| B．the influence of her parents |
| C．her deep interest in it |
| D．her making DV movie |
| A．director | B．musician |
| C．actress | D．producer |
| A．You Mi hopes to be a mixed talent |
| B．the success of a 30-minute DV movie shocked You Mi |
| C．You Mi dreams of becoming a scientist |
| D．the outbreak of SARS delayed You Mi’s studies |
My name is Brooke Parsons, and the story of my life is different. One day, in April, 1993, I was home alone when I had a stroke. When my parents came home, they took me to the hospital to learn what lay ahead for all of us. The stroke has left me with permanent brain damage. The doctors suggested I quit school. However, I chose the opposite.
After returning to high school, I learned very slowly. I had to decide whether or not to complete the twelfth grade in 2 years. Thinking I would fail if I chose to do it in one year, finally I made my decision. The staff at school were very supportive and helped me through the rough times. Finally, I graduated from high school. Graduating from high school was a huge achievement for me. That was an opportunity for me to be really proud of just how far I had come with all the odds I had to beat.
I can now walk, talk, dress myself, feed myself and be the independent person I am today. I have achieved my VCE and I am now at university, studying to be a social worker. I have been a scholarship winner. I have become a life-long member of the local musical band. All of these achievements are beyond my imagination. Now I am even in a novel called Second Chances by Neil Mitchall.
I could have easily listened to the doctors when I first had my stroke, but I decided I was going to prove them wrong as they did not know me, nor did they know just how determined I would be.
It’s a big world out there. I have done and achieved so much and never once will I allow the odds to get the better of me, as there is still a whole lot more things out there for me to do. I love life and I am living it to the maximum
1. How was the author affected by the stroke? (no more than 6 words)2. What decision did he make after returning to school? (no more than 10 words)
3. What did the authors efforts bring him? (no more than 10 words)
4. What does the underlined sentence in the last paragraph mean? (no more than 10 words)
5. What do you think of the author and why? (no more than 20 words)
