I grew up in a poor family. When I turned eight, I went to work to polish (打磨) stones after school. My fingers hurt and sometimes badly. I hated the idea of polishing stones in dirty clothes forever. I dreamed of getting a university education and becoming a doctor someday. The other boys working together laughed at me because we were too poor to pay university fees.

After completing secondary school, I went to work in a small hotel. There most of the guests spoke English. I realized it was a good chance to improve my English. Almost every guest was regarded as my teacher. I asked them about words and phrases I picked up from English newspapers left behind.

One day, a foreign lady, Delores, came to the hotel. We spent a good hour trying to figure out the way to the Hawa Mahal. Madam Delores asked, “Do you learn English at school?” “I finished school. I learn English by myself.” I answered. Madam was so impressed with me that she offered help, teaching me English online. After six months, my English greatly improved. I told Madam I planned to do a mechanics (机械学) course, which was free. How she responded changed my life forever: What if I give you the university fee?

I accepted her offer after she explained that helping me would make her happy. I remained hard-working at university. Each morning I rose at 6 a.m. to attend university. After class, I headed to work in the hotel. I stole minutes between suitcases (行李箱) to complete homework.

So far, I have completed my MBA. My life, my way of thinking and my opportunities are so different now, all thanks to Madam and the education I received. I began to think about the millions of Indian kids like me. If I could change my life, with the right help, they could change their lives too. So, with Madam’s support, I started a non-profit company to raise excellent learners and thinkers. I’m really happy because I’m doing something good for others, like Madam did for me.

1. Why did the other boys laugh at me?

A．I often got injured in my work.	B．They lived a better life.
C．They believed I was daydreaming.	D．I wore dirty clothes all the time.

2. How did Madam help the author?

A．By teaching him mechanics.	B．By providing financial support.
C．By offering him a job as a guide.	D．By introducing a good university.

3. What can we learn from the text?

A．Money can’t buy time.	B．Many hands make light work.
C．Action speaks louder than words.	D．God helps those who help themselves.

When no one else was able to save a drowning (溺水的) 34-year-old man, a boy weighing only 80 pounds quickly became his hero.

11-year-old Adam was hanging out at the pool of his apartment building with his family when the man sank (下沉) to the bottom of the deep end, his arms spread out and his eyes wide from eight feet down in the water.

Surprisingly, Adam was the only one at the pool who could swim at the time. Before his family had moved to St. Paul, Minnesota three years ago, his parents had never had the ability to take swimming lessons. Luckily, they believed that Adam should have a few swimming lessons. “Some survival skills are a must,” his father said.

When trouble struck in the pool, however, Adam’s father had tried to help the man from a swim ring, but he couldn’t reach the man’s hand. Then, Adam jumped into the pool.

Despite the man weighing almost 100 pounds heavier than the boy, Adam successfully managed to pull the man up to the surface and get him out of the pool. Though Adam’s uncle had never received CPR training, he started CPR on the man based on what he had seen in movies and television.

A few minutes later, the man started to move his hands. Doctors then arrived and took the man to the hospital where he has since made a full recovery (恢复). The man stopped by the boy’s house later the very same week to thank him for saving his life.

“It’s simply wonderful,” said Adam’s uncle. “If he had not been there, I don’t know. I’m sure it would not be a happy ending.” Adam’s father also says that he plans on taking swimming lessons with his son in the near future.

4. Why was Adam sent to take swimming lessons?

A．To build up his body.	B．To save other people’s life.
C．To keep a healthy weight.	D．To keep himself safe in the water.

5. What did his father do before Adam jumped into the pool?

A．He sent for doctors.	B．He called others for help.
C．He asked Adam to save the man.	D．He tried to save the man by himself.

6. What happened to the man after he was pulled out of the pool?

A．He thanked Adam.	B．Doctors operated on him.
C．He was sent to hospital at once.	D．Adam’s uncle gave him first aid.

7. Which word can best describe Adam?

A．Brave.

B．Polite.

C．Clever.

D．Proud.

Music is known to have a great deal of mental and physical benefits on humans. From helping to treat physical medical problems to relieving stress, music can be extremely beneficial in helping to improve health.     16    

Animals may have a great deal of stress.     17     Dogs and cats may be stressed when around men because they were badly treated by a man, and they may never forget that. A dog who was attacked by another dog while on a walk may be always afraid to go on walks, or even be afraid to leave the house.

    18     Cats, dogs and horses will not all have the exact same stressors (压力源), so you just have to pay close attention to your animal and what makes them unique, such as changes in eating habits, too much sleep and too little sleep, just to name a few.

Music can be extremely beneficial for animals in high stress situations.     19     In the atmosphere, they feel calm, safe and well protected. Music can be specifically helpful when played at veterinary (兽医的) clinics for animals who are afraid of the vet. This helps calm the owners of the animals and the staff at the office besides the animals.     20     That’s why it is being taken up at a variety of veterinary clinics around the world.

A．It can create a space for them.

B．The same goes for our furry friends, too.

C．They could be stressed for a variety of reasons.

D．It would be a beneficial practice for all parties.

E．Another place where music can be helpful is in car rides.

F．There are ways that you can identify stress in your animals.

G．It’s no wonder loud noises can cause dogs and cats so much stress.

阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容(l个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式。

My name is Randall Davis. Years ago, I wanted     36    (make) something of myself working as an editor. However, I realized later that the most important things in life lived within the walls of my own home. So today my     37    (great) interest is my family.

I enjoy     38    (spend) time with my family. I have four children, and we go hiking and camping together. On our hikes, we often talk about life or tell     39    (story). We always have fun taking pictures. I can also focus     40    my kids without the distractions (分心) of video games or the Internet. Telling stories sounds easy,     41    when you have to think of a new story on a hot, 12-kilometre hike through the desert, you have come up with ideas off the top of your head.

Now, this doesn’t mean we don’t have problems; all families face challenges in     42    (they) lives, and our family     43    (be) no exception. However, we try to talk     44    (open)about our problems, and we try to solve our problems together. Building     45    strong family takes time, but it is worth the effort.

从词汇框中选择合适的单词完成句子。

performed	flexible	lack	typical	selects	patterns
eventually	diverse	spotted	hesitate	originally	response

46. Canada is so ________ because it has many different cultures mixed together.
47. Birds fly in various ________. Some move in circles, while others in straight lines.
48. The college ________ only 120 students a year from the thousands who apply.
49. Clearly the smoke from my fire was ________, because a man was sent to check it.
50. She went to work for a new company, where the ________ schedule gave her more time to look after her children.
51. He didn’t ________ for a moment and jumped into the water for the crying girl.
52. On a ________ workday, workers are expected to work for about 8 hours.
53. Sunshine is the best medicine and ________ of it may lead to a disease.
54. The interviewer asked me a question and listened carefully to my ________, taking notes on a piece of paper.
55. The table was ________ placed by the window, rather than in the middle of the room as now.

56. 钱花光了，莎拉不得不找份工作养活自己。
When the money ran ________, Sarah had to find a job to support herself.