The clock struck eleven at night． The whole house was quiet． Everyone was in bed except me． Under the strong light, I looked sadly before a huge pile of troublesome stuff they call “books”．
I was going to have my examination the next day． "When can I go to bed?" I asked myself． I didn’t answer, in fact I dared not．
The clock struck 12"Oh, dear!" I cried, "ten more books to read before I can go to bed!” We pupils are the most wretched creatures in the worlD． Dad does not agree with me on this． He did not have to work so hard when he was a boy ．"
The clock struck one． I was quite ho peless now． I forgot all I had learnt． I was too tired to go on． I did the only thing I coulD． I prayed, “Oh, God, Please help me pass the exam tomorrow． I do promise to work hard afterwards, Amen．” My eyes were heavy, so heavy that I could hardly open them． A few minutes later, with my head on the desk, I fell asleep．When the author was going over his lessons, all the others in the house were_____ ．
| A．asleep |
| B．working in bed |
| C．outside |
| D．quietly laughing at him |
Reviewing his lessons didn’t help him because ________．
| A．it was too late at night |
| B．he was very tired |
| C．his eyes l ids were so heavy that he couldn’t keep them open |
| D．he hadn’t studied hard before the examination |
What do you suppose happened to the author？
| A．He went to a church to pray again |
| B．He passed the exam by luck |
| C．He failed in the exam |
| D．He was punished by his teacher |
The best title for the passage would be __________ ．
| A．The Night Before the Examination |
| B．Working Far into the Night |
| C．A Slow Student |
| D．Going Over My Lessons |
In 2012, the Tower of London welcomed two new inhabitants: a pair of ravens(乌鸦) named Jubilee and Grip． Their arrival celebrated the bicentenary(二百周年) of Charles Dickens’s birth． This Grip was the third of the Tower ravens to be named after the novelist’s own pet birD． One of his predecessors（前辈） was resident during World War Two; he and his mate Mabel were the only ravens to survive a bombing attack on the Tower．
Dickens’s Grip, who had an impressive vocabulary, appears as a character in the author’s fifth novel, Barnaby Rudge． On 28 January 1841, Dickens wrote to his friend George Cattermole: “my notion is to have [Barnaby] always in company with a pet raven, who is immeasurably more knowing than himself． To this end I have been studying my bird, and think I could make a very distinctive character of him．”
Unfortunately, just a few weeks after Dickens wrote that letter, Grip died, probably as a result of having stolen and eaten paint some months earlier． The bird had developed a strange habit – tearing sections off painted surfaces (including the family's carriage) and even drinking a quantity of white paint out of a tin． Dickens mourned his loss and wrote a humorous letter to his friend, the illustrator Daniel Maclise, about the raven’s death．
He related how, when Grip began to show signs of sickness, the vet was called and “administered a powerful dose of castor(蓖麻) oil”． Initially this seemed to have a positive effect and the author was thrilled to see Grip restored to his usual personality when he bit the coachman (who was used to the raven and took it in good humor)． The following morning, Grip was able to eat “some warm porridge”, but his recovery was short liveD．
As Dickens wrote to Maclise, “On the clock striking twelve he appeared slightly upset, but soon recovered, walking twice or thrice along the coach-house, stopped to bark, exclaimed ‘Hello old girl’ (his favorite expression) and dieD． He behaved throughout with a decent manner, which cannot be too much admireD． ．． The children seem rather glad of it． He bit their ankles． But that was play．”Which of the following is right about Dickens’s pet Grip?
| A．he liked painting a lot． |
| B．he could speak English fluently． |
| C．he was quite ill before his death． |
| D．he and Mabel survived a bombing attack． |
Why did Dickens study his bird Grip?
| A．Because the bird was very strange looking． |
| B．Because Dickens liked the bird immeasurably． |
| C．Because Barnaby needs a companion who was always with him． |
| D．Because Dickens wanted to base one character of his novel on him． |
What caused the death of Dickens’s Grip?
| A．His old age． |
| B．His strange diet． |
| C．The killing of the coachman． |
| D．His bad habit of biting people． |
Which of the following can be the best title of the passage?
A． A bird in a novel．
B． The writer’s birD．
C． The death of a birD．
D． Dickens and his bird
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项。
Chinese female scientist Tu Youyou won the 2015 Nobel Prize in medicine on October 5 for her discoveries concerning a novel treatment against Malaria（疟疾）． This is the first Nobel Prize given to a Chinese scientist for work carried out within ChinA．
Tu shared the prize with Irish-born William Campbell and Satoshi Omura of Japan, who were honored for their revolutionary anti-roundworm treatment． 84-year-old Tu is awarded this prize for her contribution to cutting the death rate of malaria, reducing patients’ suffering and promoting mankind’s health． Although she received several medical awards in the past, the 2015 Nobel Prize is definitely the most privilege reward that recognizes Tu’s dedication and perseverance in discovering artemisinin（青蒿素）, the key drug that battles malaria-friendly parasites（寄生虫）．
However, her route to the honor has been anything but traditional． She won the Nobel Prize for medicine, but she doesn’t have a medical degree or a Phd． In China, she is even being called the “three-noes” winner: no medical degree, no doctorate, and she’s never worked overseas． No wonder her success has stirred China’s national pride and helped promote confidence of native Chinese scientists．
The fact that Tu has none of these three backgrounds reminds us that science should be more accessible to all． One shall be able to become a scientist no matter what kind of background he or she comes from, as long as one dives into scientific research． There have been discussions on people who really love science but are never able to achieve much during their whole life． Their contributions can never be ignored． They work so hard to prove the wrong way so that the future researchers will be closer to the right one．
As the first Chinese mainland Nobel Prize Winner of natural science award, Tu’s record-breaking winning also serves as a reminder to those who are too eager for instant success． Science is never about instant success． Tu spent decades on scientific research before its value is officially acknowledged． There is no way to measure how much one devotes to science and compare it with how much reward he or she may get．It can be concluded from the text that __________．
| A．Tu worked home and abroad to conduct her research |
| B．Tu got the Nobel Prize for her anti-roundworm treatment |
| C．The Nobel Prize is the first award to recognize her work |
| D．Her discovery of artemisinin has helped to cut Malaria death rate |
The author seems to agree that a person who is more likely to become a scientist is the one with__________．
| A．a sense of national pride |
| B．relevant academic knowledge |
| C．a desire to achieve success |
| D．enthusiasm for scientific research |
In writing the passage, the author intends to ___________．
| A．inform readers of the news and make comments |
| B．discourage the pursuit of instant success in science |
| C．remind readers of the principles of scientific research |
| D．praise the award winner and encourage scientific research |
The Brown Bear
My wife Laura and I were on the beach，with three of our children，taking pictures of shore birds near our home in Alaska when we spotted a bear. The bear was thin and small，moving aimlessly.
Just a few minutes later，I heard my daughter shouting，“Dad！The bear is right behind us！” An aggressive bear will usually rush forward to frighten away its enemy but would suddenly stop at the last minute. This one was silent and its ears pinned back—the sign(迹象) of an animal that is going in for the kill. And it was a cold April day. The bear behaved abnormally，probably because of hunger.
I held my camera tripod(三脚架) in both hands to form a barrier as the bear rushed into me. Its huge head was level with my chest and shoulders，and the tripod stuck across its mouth. It bit down and I found myself supporting its weight. I knew I would not be able to hold it for long.
Even so，this was a fight I had to win：I was all that stood between the bear and my family，who would stand little chance of running faster than a brown bear.
The bear hit at the camera，cutting it off the tripod. I raised my left arm to protect my face；the beast held tightly on the tripod and pressed it into my side. My arm could not move，and I sensed that my bones were going to break.
Drawing back my free hand，I struck the bear as hard as I could for five or six times. The bear opened its mouth and I grasped its fur，trying to push it away. I was actually wrestling(扭打) with the bear at this point. Then，as suddenly as it had begun，the fight ended. The bear moved back towards the forest，before returning for another attack—the first time I felt panic.
Apparently satisfied that we caused no further threat，the bear moved off，destroying a fence as it went. My arm was injured，but the outcome for us could hardly have been better. I’m proud that my family remained clearheaded when panic could have led to a very different outcome.
The brown bear approached the family in order to .
| A．catch shore birds |
| B．start an attack |
| C．protect the children |
| D．set up a barrier for itself |
The bear finally went away after it .
| A．felt safe |
| B．got injured |
| C．found some food |
| D．took away the camera |
The writer and his family survived mainly due to their .
| A．pride |
| B．patience |
| C．calmness |
| D．cautiousness |
Today we are going to talk about important transition words in English．We will focus on how to usetransition words to link ideas together．Some common transition words are and，furthermore，in addition to，not to mention，and in the same way．
We don’t always get a second chance to achieve our dreams．But some people are lucky，like Matthew McConaughey．Once almost unknown，the actor has recently found himself back on the list of the best actors in HollywooD． His new movie Interstellar is just another sign that his career reinvention has been an incredible success．“The film relies on McConaughey’s performance to hold together the emotional story of a father and his daughter against the background of space travel and the end of the world，”Forbes commenteD．
But only years ago，the Texas native was often the butt of jokes（笑柄）about being too handsome．In 1993，after meeting with director Richard Linklater，McConaughey starred in Dazed and ConfuseD． And a Hollywood career was born，mostly in romantic comedies．For a long time，the whole world believed McConaughey was just a handsome guy with comic talent．
But McConaughey stopped starring in that type of movie，and began to use his looks differently．Slowly he built up his reputation as a serious actor．In 2013，McConaughey was offered to play an AIDS activist in Dallas Buyers CluB． The role saw the normally muscular actor losing 50 pounds in order to appear sick．His performance won him an Oscar for Best Actor．
The actor gave thanks to someone he has always looked up to as a hero during his Oscar acceptance speech．When he was 15，the actor said，he decided that his hero would be himself in 10 years．But 10 years later，he pushed the deadline ahead another decade．Then 10 years later，another decade．“My hero’s always 10 years away，” he saiD． “I’m never going to attain that．That keeps me with somebody to keep on chasing．”Or perhaps constantly chasing the chance to be his own hero has given him a second chance to follow his dreams．
Why was McConaughey often the butt of jokes in his early career？
| A．He was limited to handsome roles． |
| B．He was unknown to the audience． |
| C．He played in romantic comedies． |
| D．He was handsome and emotional． |
What role won Mc Conaughey an Oscar for Best Ac tor？
| A．A caring father． |
| B．An AIDS activist． |
| C．A serious buyer． |
| D．A strong hero． |
What can we learn about McConaughey？
A． He was born in HollywooD．
B． He has become a hero of his own．
C． He wasn’t famous until recently．
D． He isn’t content with his achievements．
Which of the following can be the best title？
| A．McConaughey，a Romantic Comed ian |
| B．McConaughey，a Man Making a Hit |
| C．McConaug hey，a Man Daring to change |
| D．McConaughey，Handsome and Talented |
“Soon, you’re going to have to move out!” cried my neighbor upon seeing the largest tomato plant known to mankind, or at least known in my neighborhooD．
One tiny 9-inch plant, bought for $1．25 in the spring, has already taken over much of my rose bed, covering much of other plants, and is well on its way to the front door．
Roses require a good deal of care, and if it weren’t for the pleasure they give, it wouldn’t be worth the work．As it is, I have a garden full of sweet-smelling roses for most of the year．Bushes must be pruned(剪枝) in early spring, leaving ugly woody branches until the new growth appears a few weeks later．It was the space available in the garden that led me into planting just one little tomato plant．A big mistake．
Soil conditions made just perfect for roses turn out to be even more perfect for tomatoes．The daily watering coupled with full sun and regular fertilizing(施肥) have turned the little plant into a tall bush．The cage I placed around it as the plant grew has long since disappeared under the thick leaves．
Now the task I face in harvesting the fruit is two fold（方面）：First, I have to find the red ones among the leaves, which means I almost have to stand on my head, and once found I have to reach down and under, pick the tomatoes and withdraw my full fist without dropping the prize so dearly won．Second, I found two full-blown white roses completely hidden as I picked tomatoes in June, but they were weak and the leaves already yellow for lack of light．
Here I am faced with a painful small decision: To tear up a wonderful and productive tomato plant that offers up between ten and twenty ripe sweet tomatoes each day or say goodbye to several expensive and treasured roses．Like Scarlett in Gone With the Wind, I’ll think about that tomorrow．What are the requirements for the healthy growth of roses?
| A．Frequent pruning and fertilizing |
| B．Tomato plants grown alongside |
| C．Cages placed around the roots |
| D．A lot of care and the right soil |
The writer planted the tomato because_______．
| A．there was room for it in the garden |
| B．it cost only $1．25 |
| C．the soil was just right for it |
| D．the roses’ branches needed to be covered |
This year the writer’s roses were _______．
| A．removed from the rose bed |
| B．picked along with the tomatoes |
| C．largely hidden under the tomato plant |
| D．mostly damaged by too much sunlight |
By saying “the prize so dearly won” in paragraph 5, the writer wants to_______．
| A．show the hardship of growing the roses |
| B．show the difficulty in picking the tomatoes |
| C．express her liking for the roses |
| D．express her care for the tomatoes |
My parents have certainly had their troubles, and as their child I’ll never know how they made it to 38 years of marriage．They loved each other, but they didn’t seem to like each other very much．Dad was too fond of his beer, and he talked down to Mom a lot．When she tried to stand up to him, a fight would unavoidably follow.
It was my dad’s disease that began to change things．The year 1998 was the beginning of a remarkable transformation for my family．My father, Jim Dineen, the always healthy, weightlifting, never-missed-a-day-of-work kind of dad, discovered he had kidney (肾) disease.
The decision to go ahead with a transplant for my father was a long and tough one, mostly because he had liver damage too．One physician’s assistant told him, “According to your file, you’re supposed to be dead.” And for a while, doctors mistakenly thought that he would need not just a kidney transplant, but a liver transplant too．Dad’s future hung in midpoint.
When the donor testing process finally began in the spring of 2003, numerous people, including me, my uncle Tom, and my mom, came back as matches of varying degree．But Mom was the one who insisted on going further．She decided to donate a kidney to my father．She said she was not scared, and it was the right thing to do．We all stepped back in amazement.
At last a date was chosen – November 11, 2003．All of a sudden, the only thing that seemed to matter Dad was telling the world what a wonderful thing Mom was doing for him．A month before the surgery, he sent her birthday flowers with a note that read, “I love you and I love your kidney! Thank you!”
Financially, the disease was upsetting to them．So my sister and I were humbled and surprised when, shortly before his surgery day, Dad handed us a diamond jewelry that we were to give to Mom after the operation．He’d accumulated(积累) his spare dollars to buy it.
At the hospital on the day of the transplant, all our relatives and friends gathered in the waiting room and became involved in a mean euchre (尤克牌游戏) tournament．My family has always handled things with a lot of laughter, and even though we were all tense, everybody was taking bets on how long this “change of conduct” would last in my parents.
We would inform Dad that if he chose to act like a real pain on any particular day after the operation, he wasn’t allowed to blame it on PMS just because he’d now have a female kidney.
The surgeries went well, and not long afterward, my sister and I were allowed to go in to visit．Dad was in a great deal of pain but again, all he could talk about was Mom．Was she okay? How was she feeling? Then the nurses let us do something unconventional．As they were wheeling Mom out of recovery room, they rolled her into a separate position to visit Dad．It was strange to see both my parents hooked up to IVs and machines and trying to talk to each other through tears．The nurses allowed us to present the diamond jewelry to Mom so that Dad could watch her open it．Everyone was crying, even the nurses.
As I stood with digital camera in hand, I tried to keep the presence of mind to document the moment．My dad was having a hard time fighting back emotion, and suddenly my parents unexpectedly reached out to hold each other’s hands.
In my nearly 35 years of existence, I’d never seen my parents do that, and I was spellbound．I snapped a picture and later rushed home to make sure I’d captured that enormous, life-defining moment．After so many years of disagreement, it was apparent to me that they finally understood how much each loved the other.From the first paragraph we can learn that _________.
| A．Dad was fond of drinking |
| B．My parents got along well |
| C．Dad often beat Mom |
| D．Mom never obeyed Dad |
The underlined part “Dad’s future hung in midpoint” in Para.3 suggests that _________.
| A．Dad's life journey was on half way |
| B．Dad came to a critical moment in his life |
| C．Dad’s future was decided by doctors |
| D．Dad faced a tough decision in his life |
Before the surgery, which of the following words can best describe the feeling of the families?
| A．Worried and negative. |
| B．Anxious and helpless. |
| C．Nervous but optimistic. |
| D．Relaxed and positive. |
Which of the following is TRUE according the passage?
| A．Dad bought a diamond jewelry to Mom for their wedding anniversary. |
| B．Dad asked the nurse to visit Mom soon after the operation. |
| C．Despite a lot of pain, Dad was eager to know Mom’s condition soon after the operation. |
| D．On the day of the transplant, the families involved in a mean euchre tournament to relax themselves. |
What’s in the writer’s photo?
| A．Everyone was crying, even the nurses. |
| B．His parents were trying to talk to each other. |
| C．Dad watched Mom opening the gift. |
| D．His parents were holding each other’s hands. |
What’s the best title for the passage?
| A．Dad’s disease | B．Mom’s decision |
| C．The Gift of Life | D．The photo of hands |
My heart sank when the man at the immigration counter gestured to the back room. I was born and raised in America, and this was Miami, where I live, but they weren’t quite ready to let me in yet.
“Please wait in here, Ms Abujaber,” the immigration officer said. My husband, with his very American last name, accompanied me. He was getting used to this. The same thing had happened recently in Canada when I’d flown to Montreal to speak at a book event. That time they held me for 45 minutes. Today we were returning from a literary festival in Jamaica, and I was startled that I was being sent “in back” once again.
The officer behind the counter called me up and said, “Miss, your name looks like the name of someone who’s on our wanted list. We’re going to have to check you out with Washington.”
“How long will it take?”
“Hard to say ... a few minutes,” he said. “We’ll call you when we’re ready for you.” After an hour, Washington still hadn’t decided anything about me. “Isn’t this computerized?”
I asked at the counter. “Can’t you just look me up?”
Just a few more minutes, they assured me.
After an hour and a half, I pulled my cell phone out to call the friends I was supposed to meet that evening. An officer rushed over. “No phones!” he said. “For all we know you could be calling a terrorist cell and giving them information.”
“I’m just a university professor,” I said. My voice came out in a squeak.
“Of course you are. And we take people like you out of here in leg irons every day.”
I put my phone away.
My husband and I were getting hungry and tired. Whole families had been brought into the waiting room, and the place was packed with excitable children, exhausted parents, even a flight attendant.
I wanted to scream, to jump on a chair and shout: “I’m an American citizen; a novelist; I probably teach English literature to your children.” Or would that all be counted against me?
After two hours in detention, I was approached by one of the officers. “You’re free to go,” he said. No explanation or apologies. For a moment, neither of us moved, we were still in shock.
Then we leaped to our feet.
“Oh, one more thing.” He handed me a tattered photocopy with an address on it. “If you weren’t happy with your treatment, you can write to this agency.”
“Will they respond?” I asked.
“I don’t know --- I don’t know of anyone who’s ever written to them before.” Then he added, “By the way, this will probably keep happening each time you travel internationally.”
“What can I do to keep it from happening again?”
He smiled the empty smile we’d seen all day. “Absolutely nothing.”
After telling several friends about our ordeal, probably the most frequent advice I’ve heard in response is to change my name. Twenty years ago, my own graduate school writing professor advised me to write under a pen name so that publishers wouldn’t stick me in what he called “the ethnic ghetto” --- a separate, secondary shelf in the bookstore. But a name is an integral part of anyone’s personal and professional identity -just like the town you’re born in and the place where you’re raised.
Like my father, I’ll keep the name, but my airport experience has given me a whole new perspective on what diversity and tolerance are supposed to mean. I had no idea that being an American would ever be this hard.The author was held at the airport because __________.
| A．she and her husband returned from Jamaica. |
| B．her name was similar to a terrorist’s. |
| C．she had been held in Montreal. |
| D．she had spoken at a book event. |
We learn from the passage that the author would __________ to prevent similar experience from happening again.
| A．write to the agency | B．change her name |
| C．avoid traveling abroad | D．do nothing |
Her experiences indicate that there still exists __________ in the US.
| A．hatred | B．discrimination |
| C．tolerance | D．diversity |
The author sounds __________ in the last paragraph.
| A．impatient | B．bitter | C．worried | D．ironic |
On his bench in Madison Square Soapy moved uneasily, and he realized the fact that the time had come for him to provide against the coming winter.
The winter ambitions of Soapy were not of the highest. In them there were no dreams of Mediterranean voyages or blue Southern skies. Three months on the Island was what his soul desired. Three months of assured board and bed and good company, safe from north winds seemed to Soapy the most desirable thing.
Just as the more fortunate New Yorkers had bought their tickets to Palm Beach each winter, Soapy had made his arrangements for his annual journey to the Island. And now the time had come.
There were many institutions of charity in New York where he might receive lodging and food, but to Soapy’s proud spirit the gifts of charity were undesirable. You must pay in humiliation of spirit for everything received at the hands of mercy. So it was better to be a guest of the law.
Soapy, having decided to go to the Island, at once set about accomplishing his desire. He left his bench and went up Broadway. He stopped at the door of a glittering cafe. He was shaven and his coat was decent. If he could reach a table in the restaurant, the portion of him that would show above the table would raise no doubt in the waiter’s mind. A roasted duck, with a bottle of wine, a cigar and a cup of coffee would be enough. Such a dinner would make him happy, for the journey to his winter refuge.
But as Soapy entered the restaurant door, the head waiter’s eye fell upon his shabby trousers and old shoes. Strong hands pushed him in silence and haste out into the street.
Some other way of entering the desirable refuge must be found.
At a corner of Sixth Avenue Soapy took a stone and sent it through the glass of a glittering shop window. People came running around the corner, a policeman at the head of them. Soapy stood still, with his hands in his pockets, and smiled at the sight of the policeman.
“Where is the man that has done that?” asked the policeman.
“Don’t you think that I have had something to do with it?” said Soapy, friendly.
The policeman paid no attention to Soapy. Men who break windows don’t remain to speak with policemen. They run away. He saw a man running and rushed after him, stick in hand. Soapy, disgusted, walked along, twice unsuccessful.
On the opposite side of the street was a restaurant for people with large appetites and modest purses. Soapy entered this place without difficulty. He sat at a table and ate beefsteak and pie. And then he told the waiter he had no money.
“Go and call a cop,” said Soapy. “And don’t keep a gentleman waiting.”
“No cop for you,” said the waiter. “Hey!”
Then Soapy found himself lying upon his left ear on the pavement. He arose with difficulty, and beat the dust from his clothes. Arrest seemed a rosy dream. The Island seemed far away.
After another unsuccessful attempt to be arrested for harassing a young woman, Soapy went further toward the district of theatres.
When he saw a policeman standing in front of a glittering theatre, he thought of “disorderly conduct”. On the sidewalk Soapy began to sing drunken songs at the top of his voice. He danced, cried, and otherwise disturbed the peace.
The policeman turned his back to Soapy, and said to a citizen, “It is one of the Yale boys celebrating their football victory. Noisy, but no harm.”
Sadly, Soapy stopped his useless singing and dancing. The Island seemed unattainable. He buttoned his thin coat against the north wind.
In a cigar store he saw a well-dressed man who had set his silk umbrella by the door. Soapy entered the store, took the umbrella, and went out with it slowly. The man with the cigar followed hastily.
“My umbrella,” he said.
“Oh, is it?” said Soapy. “Well, why don’t you call a policeman? I took your umbrella! Why don’t you call a cop? There stands one on the corner.”
The umbrella owner slowed his steps. Soapy did likewise. The policeman looked at them curiously.
“Of course,” said the umbrella man, “well, you know how these mistakes occur…if it’s your umbrella I hope you’ll excuse me – I picked it up this morning in a restaurant – if it’s yours, I hope you’ll…”
“Of course it’s mine,” said Soapy.
The ex-umbrella man retreated. The policeman hurried to help a well-dressed woman across the street.
Soapy threw the umbrella angrily. He was angry with the men who wear helmets and carry clubs. They seemed to regard him as a king who could do no wrong.
At last Soapy stopped before an old church on a quiet corner. Through one window a soft light glowed, where, the organist played a Sunday anthem. For there came to Soapy’s ears sweet music that caught and held him at the iron fence.
The moon was shining; cars and pedestrians were few; birds twittered sleepily under the roof. And the anthem that the organist played cemented Soapy to the iron fence, for he had known it well in the days when his life contained such things as mothers and roses and ambitions and friends.
The influence of the music and the old church produced a sudden and wonderful change in Soapy’s soul. He thought of his degraded days, dead hopes and wrecked faculties.
And also in a moment a strong impulse moved him to battle with his desperate fate. He would pull himself out of this pit; he would make a man of himself again. Those sweet notes had set up a revolution in him. Tomorrow he would be somebody in the world. He would…
Soapy felt a hand on his arm. He looked quickly around into the broad face of a policeman.
“What are you doing here?”
“Nothing.”
“Then come along,” said the policeman.
“Three months on the Island,” said the Judge the next morning.Which of the following is the reason for Soapy’s not turning to charity?
| A．His pride gets in the way. |
| B．What the institutions of charity offer isn’t what Soapy needs. |
| C．He wants to be a citizen who obeys the law. |
| D．The institutions of charity are not located on the island. |
From the passage, we can see what the two restaurants have in common is that __________.
| A．they are both fancy upper class restaurants |
| B．neither of them served Soapy |
| C．they both drove Soapy out of the restaurant after he finished his meal |
| D．neither of them called cops |
Hearing the Sunday anthem at the church, Soapy was reminded of __________.
| A．his good old days and wanted to play the anthem again |
| B．his unaccomplished ambition and was determined to get to the Island |
| C．his disgraceful past and determined to transform himself |
| D．his rosy dream and wished to realize it |
By ending the story this way, the author means to __________.
| A．show that one always gets what he/she wants with enough efforts |
| B．make a contrast and criticize the sick society |
| C．surprise readers by proving justice was done after all |
| D．put a tragic end to Soapy’s life and show his sympathy for Soapy |
Erica McElrath calls herself “ The Happy Lady”. And by now, you may have caught her singing and dancing with her mp3 player on any of several city street corners. “ I don’t want money,” said McElrah, 40, of St. Louis. “ I come out here to make people smile.”
McElrah lost her full-time job in January. Since then, she has spent her days doing what she loves-dancing in the street. Her message to people in hard times: do something that you enjoy, no matter what your circumstances. “ Life isn’t that bad,” she said. “ If you’re working 40 hours a week, you shouldn’t be complaining.”
McElrah graduated from parkway Central High School and has spent the past 21 years working as a nursing assistant, She began singing and dancing publicly on her days off a few years ago to help her through the pain of her second divorce.
Her favorite spot is the northwest corner of Chouteau Avenue and South Grand Boulevard near St. Louis University. McElrah’s mp3 player is loaded with hundreds of classic rock hits and 80’s pop songs, including those by Joe Cocker, Tina Turner, Neil Diamond and Toto. But her favorite artist, by far, is Stevie Nicks.Videos of McElrah have appeared on YouTube, a video-sharing website on which users can upload, share, and view videos. “People think I’m crazy, but I don’t care,” She said. “ I can dance a little. I just go with the music.” Even a rude gesture from a passing motorist doesn’t bother her either. “ I just smile and wave,” she said.
McElrah’s show of bravery recently earned her a job opportunity with Liberty Tax Service, which temporarily offered her a job as a dancer Statute of Liberty to promote a new place near Grand Center starting in January.
“ Just be happy and do what you love,” she said. “The money will come.”At first McElrah began singing and dancing in public in order to _____.
| A．make a living | B．entertain the public |
| C．rise to fame | D．encourage herself |
Erica McElrah was offered a job because of _____.
| A．her beautiful voice | B．her positive behavior |
| C．her lively dancing | D．her competitive spirit |
Which of the following about Erica McElrah is TRUE？
| A．She doesn’t care others’ comments on her. |
| B．Her favorite artist is Joe Cocker. |
| C．She once worked as a doctor. |
| D．She has been divorced once. |
What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Ways To Be Happy |
| B．Learn To Do What You Love |
| C．Happy Lady’s Singing and Dancing Life |
| D．What Made The Happy Lady Famous? |
In early autumn I applied for admission to college. I wanted to go nowhere but to Cornell University, but my mother fought strongly against it. When she saw me studying a photograph of my father on the sports ground of Cornell, she tore it up.
“You can’t say it’s not a great university, just because Papa went there.”
“That’s not it at all. And it is a top university.” She was still holding the pieces in her hand. “But we can’t afford to send you to college.”
“I wouldn’t dream of asking you for money. Do you want me to get a job to help support you and Papa? Things aren’t that bad, are they?”
“No,” she said. “I don’t expect you to help support us.”
Father borrowed money form his rich cousins to start a small jewellery shop, His chief customers were his old college friends. To get new customers, my mother had to help. She picked up a long-forgotten membership in the local league of women, so that she could get to know more people. Whether those people would turn into customers was another question. I knew that my Parents had to wait for quite a long time before their small investment could show returns. What’s more , they had not wanted enough to be rich and successful ;otherwise they could not possibly have managed their lives so badly.
I was torn between the desire to help them and change their lives, and the determination not to repeat their mistakes. I had a strong belief in my power to get what I wanted. After months of hard study I won a full college scholarship. My father could hardly contain his pride in me, and my mother eventually gave in before my success.
The author was not allowed to go to Cornell University mainly because
| A．his father graduated from the university |
| B．his mother did not thinks it is a great university |
| C．his parents needed him to help support the family |
| D．his parents did not have enough money for him |
The father started his small shop with the money from
| A．a local league | B．his university |
| C．his relatives | D．his college friends |
Why did the mother renew her membership in the league?
| A．To help with her husband’s business |
| B．To raise money for her son |
| C．To meet her long-forgotten friends |
| D．To better manage her life |
According to the text, what was the author determined to do in that autumn?
| A．To get a well-paid job for himself |
| B．To improve relations with his mother |
| C．To go to his dream university |
| D．To carry on with his father’s business |
After a particularly busy period at work, I decided to get away from it all by going on a hike in the mountains in southern France.
Before I left, I read an interesting story in a magazine. It read, “Once, while I was riding on a crowded bus, the man sitting next to me threw his cell phone out of the window when his phone rang. I was surprised. He looked at me, shrugged (耸耸肩) and looked away. I had no idea whether it was his or stolen or whether he even knew what a cell phone was or not, but he clearly wanted to be free of it, because it clearly troubled him. ”
Billions of people across the world use cell phones. Though cell phones are a wonderful way for communication, they often do the exact opposite. Using cell phones can increase stress within families and friends.
So when I recently returned home, I got rid of my cell phone. Now I go outside without taking my phone with me. I’ve noticed things in my neighborhood I never noticed before, such as gardens. I’ve met new people, started conversations with neighbors I didn’t speak to before and talked with some of my friends face to face instead of chatting over the phone.
Instead of keeping me off from the world, stopping using my cell phone has helped me get even closer to my family and friends.According to the story, the man on the bus threw away his cell phone because ______.
| A．it didn’t work properly |
| B．it was stolen from someone else |
| C．he didn’t like the phone’s style |
| D．he didn’t want to be bothered by it |
We can learn from the passage that cell phones _____.
| A．are too expensive for many people |
| B．can also get people into trouble |
| C．stop people from communicating face to face |
| D．can make life more interesting |
What can we learn about the author?
| A．He wants to own a garden now. |
| B．He always chatted with his neighbors. |
| C．He used to take his cell phone when going outside. |
| D．He once rode on a crowded bus in France. |
The main purpose of the passage is to _______.
| A．tell us not to let cell phones control our lives |
| B．encourage others to hike with him in France |
| C．share his experiences in France with us |
| D．teach us how to get along with neighbors |
Grandpa was a carpenter (木匠). One day he was making some boxes for the clothes his church was sending to an orphanage (孤儿院) in Egypt. On his way home, he reached into his shirt pocket to find his glasses, but they were gone. He drove back to the church, but his search turned out to be fruitless.
Suddenly, he realized what happened. The glasses had slipped out of his pocket and fallen into one of the boxes, which he had nailed shut. His new glasses were heading for Africa!
Grandpa had six children and he had paid twenty dollars for the glasses that morning. “It's not fair,” he told God as he drove home. “I've been very faithful (忠诚的) in giving my time and money to YOUR work.”
Several months later, the director of the orphanage was on holiday in the United States. He wanted to visit all the churches that helped him in Egypt, so he came to speak on Sunday night at my grandfather's small church in Chicago.
“But most of all,” he said, “I must thank you for the glasses you sent last year. You see, I had just broken my glasses. Then your boxes arrived. To my surprise, I found a pair of glasses in it and it fit me very well!”
The people listened, happy for the amazing glasses, but thought that the man must have confused their church with another. There were no glasses on their list of items to be sent overseas. Sitting quietly in the back, with tears in his eyes, Grandpa realized that God had played a big trick on him.Where were Grandpa’s glasses lost?
| A．In a church in Egypt. | B．In the box he made. |
| C．On his way home. | D．At the orphanage. |
How did Grandpa feel when he found his glasses were lost?
| A．Calm. | B．Worried. |
| C．Surprised. | D．Disappointed. |
Who got the glasses in the end?
| A．Grandpa. |
| B．The orphanage. |
| C．Grandpa’s workmate. |
| D．The director of the orphanage. |
The people except the author’s grandpa in the church _________.
| A．sent the pair of glasses to Africa on purpose |
| B．knew the glasses that belonged to Grandpa |
| C．thought the director had made a mistake |
| D．were not interested in the director’s speech |
Dear Dad,
Today I was at the shopping mall and I spent a lot of time reading the Father's Day cards．They all had a special message that in some way or another reflected how I feel about you．Yet as I selected and read，it occurred to me that not a single card said what I really want to say to you．
You'll soon be 84 years old，Dad，and you and I will have had 55 Father's Days together．I haven't always been with you on Father's Day but I've always been with you in my heart．
You know，Dad，there was a time when we were separated by the generation gap．You stood on one side of the Great Divide and I on the other．
The Father Daughter Duel shifted into high gear ( 档位) when you taught me to drive the old Dodge and I decided I would drive the '54 Chevy whether you liked it or not．The police officer who sent me home，after you reported the Chevy stolen，didn't have much tolerance for a stub¬born 16 year old，while you were so tolerant about it，Dad，and I think that was probably what made it the worst night of my life．
Our relationship greatly improved when I married a man you liked，and things really turned around when we began making babies right and left．Somewhere along the line，the generation gap disappeared．I suppose I saw us and our relationship as aging together，rather like a fine wine．
But the strangest thing happened last week．I was at a stop sign and I watched as you turned the corner in your car．It didn't immediately occur to me that it was you because the man driving looked so elderly and fragile behind the wheel of that huge car．It was rather like a slap in the face delivered from out of nowhere．Perhaps I saw your age for the first time that day．
I guess what I'm trying to say，Dad，is what every son and daughter wants to say to their Dad today．Honoring a father on Father's Day is about respect and sharing and acceptance and tolerance and giving and taking．It's about loving someone more than words can say，and it's wishing that never had to end．
I love you，Dad．
Love,
Jenny
How did Jenny probably feel on the night she was sent home by the police？
| A．Disappointed |
| B．Nervous |
| C．Guilty |
| D．Frightened |
We can learn from the passage that Jenny and her father_________．
| A．kept in touch by writing each other |
| B．are separated due to the generation gap |
| C．have been getting along very well |
| D．had a hard time understanding each other |
Why did Jenny feel strange when she saw her father last week？．
| A．She seldom saw him driving that huge car． |
| B．She had never realized his being old and weak． |
| C．She didn't expect to meet with him there． |
| D．She had never seen him driving so slowly before． |
Jenny wrote his father this letter to _________
| A．tell him about their conflicts |
| B．say sorry for her being stubborn |
| C．express her gratitude to him |
| D．remind him of the early incident |
Everyone gathered around and Paddy read out loud, slowly, his tone growing sadder and sadder．The little headline said: BOXER RECEIVES LIFF SENTENCE.
Frank Cleary, aged 26, professional boxer, was today found guilty of the murder of Albert Gumming, aged 32, laborer, last July．The jury(陪审团) reached its decision after only ten minutes, recommending the most severe punishment to the court．It was, said the Judge, a simple case．Cumming and Cleary had quarreled violently at the Harbour Hotel on July 23rd and police saw Cleary kicking at the head of the unconscious Gumming．When arrested, Cleary was drunk but clear-thinking.
Cleary was sentenced to life imprisonment with hard labour．Asked if he had anything to say, Cleary answered, “Just don’t tell my mother.”
“It happened over three years ago,” Paddy said helplessly．No one answered him or moved, for no one knew what to do．“Just don’t tell my mother,” said Fee numbly(麻木地)．“And no one did! Oh, God! My poor, poor Frank!”
Paddy wiped the tears from his face and said．“Fee, pack your things．We’ll go to see him.”
She half-rose before sinking back, her eyes in her small white face stared as if dead．“I can't go,” she said without a hint of pain, yet making everyone feel that the pain was there．“It would kill him to see me．I know him so well—his pride, his ambition．Let him bear the shame alone, it’s what he wants．We’ve got to help him keep his secret．What good will it do him to see us?”
Paddy was still weeping, not for Frank, but for the life which had gone from Fee’s face, for the dying in her eyes．Frank had always brought bitterness and misfortune, always stood between Fee and himself．He was the cause of her withdrawal from his heart and the hearts of his children．Every time it looked as if there might be happiness for Fee, Frank took it away．But Paddy’s love for her was as deep and impossible to wipe out as hers was for Frank.
So he said, “Well, Fee, we won’t go．But we must make sure he is taken care of．How about if I write to Father Jones and ask him to look out for Frank?”
There was no excitement in the eyes, but a faint pink stole into her cheeks．“Yes, Paddy, do that．Only make sure he knows not to tell Frank we found out．Perhaps it would ease Frank to think for certain that we don’t know.” Paddy cried because he thought ___________.
| A．Frank did kill someone and deserved the punishment |
| B．Frank should have told Fee what had happened |
| C．what had happened to Frank was killing Fee |
| D．Frank had always been a man of bad moral character |
The underlined sentence “She half-rose before sinking back…” in Paragraph 6 shows that___________.
| A．Fee was so heart-broken that she could hardly stand up |
| B．Fee didn’t want to upset Paddy by visiting Frank |
| C．Fee couldn’t leave her family to go to see Frank |
| D．Fee struggled between wanting to see Frank and respecting his wish |
What can be inferred from the passage?
| A．The jury and the judge agreed on the Boxer’s Sentence of Life Imprisonment. |
| B．The police found Gumming unconscious, heavily struck by Frank. |
| C．The family didn’t find out what had happened to Frank until 3 years later. |
| D．Frank didn’t want his family to know the sentence to him, most probably out of his pride. |
What is Frank and Paddy’s probable relationship with Fee?
| A．Frank is Fee’s son and Paddy is Fee’s brother. |
| B．Frank is Fee’s son and Paddy is Fee’s husband. |
| C．Frank is Fee’s brother and Paddy is Fee’s lover. |
| D．Frank is Fee’s lover and Paddy is Fee’s husband. |
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