高中英语故事类阅读试题

It’s 10:30 p.m. and 11-year-old Brandon Blanco is sound asleep at home. Suddenly, a loud noise wakes him up. Naturally, Brandon reaches for his cell phone. He blinks twice, and the message on the screen becomes clear: “ R U awake?”
But the late-night text does not annoy Brandon. He gets frequent messages and calls, even after bedtime. And he can’t imagine life without them. “ If I didn’t have a cell phone, I wouldn’t be able to talk to my friends or family as often,” he told TFK.
Brandon’s use of technology doesn’t stop there. He also has a computer, a TV and three video-game consoles in his room. With so many choices, it is no surprise that when he is not at school, he spends nearly every waking minute using one or more of these devices. Brandon is hardly alone. According to a recent study by the Kaiser Family Foundation, kids aged 8 to 18 are spending more time than ever before using electronic devices. How much time? More than seven and a half hours a day on average, the study found. That’s about an hour more than just five years ago.
The jump is the result of a huge explosion in mobile devices, says Victoria Rideout, the lead author of the study. Today, nearly seven out of ten kids have cell phones. Just five years ago, it was four out of ten.
“ These devices have opened up many more opportunities for young people to use media, whether it’s on the bus, on the way to school or waiting in line at the pizza parlor,” says Rideout.
Often, kids multitask, or use more than one device at a time. “ If you’ve got a chance to do something on your computer and take a phone call and have the TV on in the background, why not?” Media expert Cheryl Olson says.
Most experts agree technology has much to offer kids. But some worry the kids could be missing out on other activities like playing outside or hanging out with friends. “ It’s a matter of balance,” says Olson. “ You’ve got to work on it.”
Multitasking while doing homework is another concern. Some kids listen to music, watch TV or use the phone while doing their homework. “It’s important to make sure that you can stop and concentrate on one thing deeply,” says Rideout.
Logan Jones, 11, of Maumelle, Arkansas, describes himself as a “game freak”. Still, he is glad not to have unlimited time with his PlayStation 2. “I’ll tell my mom I’m going to play a game, and she’ll say, ‘Okay, but only for 30 minutes,’”, Logan told TFK.
With new and exciting devices hitting stores every year, keeping technology use in check is more important than ever. “ Kids should try,” adds Rideout. “:But parents might have to step in sometimes.”
The text is mainly about kids’ _________

A．cell phone use	B．various hobbies
C．favorite video games	D．using electronic devices

It can be learnt from the text that _________.

A．Brandon feels annoyed about his late-night message.

B．Olson is against teenagers’ using mobile phones.

C．many teenagers lack friends in their middle school

D．kids have too many electronic devices to choose from

Which of the following is an example of multitasking?

A．Watching TV while using the computer

B．Talking on the phone while lying on the sofa.

C．Playing video games after having lunch.

D．Listening to loud music while relaxing.

The underlined phrase “in check” in the last paragraph can be replaced by ______.

A．in order

B．in store

C．in sight

D．in control

According to the text, Victoria Rideout would probably agree that kids should ____.

A．do homework while watching TV

B．do homework in a place without disturbance

C．spend more time on homework

D．have less homework

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 look 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．"
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A．Frank was found guilty of murder because he was a professional boxer．

B．The family didn't find out what happened to Frank until three years later．

C．The jury and the judge disagreed on whether Frank had committed murder．

D．Frank didn't want his family to find out what happened because Paddy disliked him．

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…" （ 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

Which of the following suggests that Fee was deeply shocked by what happened to Frank?

A．"Her eyes in her small white face stared as if dead．"

B．"Let him bear the shame alone, it's what he wants．"

C．"Every time it looked as if there might be happiness for Fee, Frank took it away．"

D．"There was no excitement in the eyes, but a faint pink stole into her cheeks．"

What is Frank and Paddy's probable relationship with Fee?

A．Son and brother．	B．Son and husband．
C．Brother and lover．	D．Lover and husband．

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 rang 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,
“My 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 no matter another human being with kindness and sincerity.
What does the underlined word “disheveled” mean?

A．Unfriendly.

B．Kind.

C．Elegant.

D．Untidy.

The author bought coffee for the old man because      .

A．he wanted to start a conversation

B．he thought the old man was poor

C．he intended to show his politeness

D．he would like to thank the old man

How did the author probably feel after he talked with his friend?

A．Surprised.

B．Pitiful.

C．Proud.

D．Regretful.

What is the message mainly expressed in the story?

A．We should learn to be generous.

B．It is honorable to help those in need.

C．We should avoid judging people by their appearances.

D．People in high positions are not like what we expect.

It’s great fun to explore new places—it feels like an adventure, even when you know you’re not the first to have been there. But make sure not to get lost or waste time going round in circles.
·Do the map reading if you’re being driven somewhere. It’ll be easier if you keep turning the map so it follows the direction you’re traveling in. Keep looking ahead so that you can give the driver lots of warning before having to make a turn, or you’ll have to move to the back seat.
·Get a group of friends together and go exploring. You’ll need a good map, a compass(指南针), a raincoat, a cellphone to call for help in case you get lost, and a bit of spare cash for emergencies. Tell someone where you’re going before you set out and let them know what time you expect to be back. The test is not in getting lost, not in seeing how fast you can go, so always stick together, waiting for slower friends to catch up.
See if your school or a club organizes orienteering(越野识途比赛) activities, in which you need a map and a compass to find your way. This can be done as a sport, with teams trying to find the way from A to B (and B to C, etc) in the fastest time, or simply as a spare-time activity. Either way, it’s not only good fun, but a great way to keep fit.
Sitting beside the driver, you should _______.

A．direct the driver when necessary

B．look ahead to see where there’s a turn

C．move to the back seat if feeling uncomfortable

D．Keep looking at the map to find a place to go to

Why do you need to tell someone your exploration plan before setting out?

A．To get information when in danger.

B．To be saved in case of an accident.

C．To share the fun with him/her in exploration.

D．To tell him/her what’s going on with the group members.

Orienteering activities can _______.

A．make people work fast	B．help people stay healthy
C．help people organize other activities	D．make people get prepared for sports.

The text mainly talks about _____.

A．the fun of exploration	B．what to bring for exploration
C．the way to use a map in exploration	D．how to prevent getting lost in exploration.

“OK,” I said to my daughter as she bent over her afternoon bowl of rice. “What’s going on with you and your friend J.?” J. is the leader of a group of third-graders at her camp-- a position Lucy herself occupied the previous summer. Now she’s the one on the outs, and every day at snack time, she tells me all about it, while I offer the unhelpful advice all summer long.
“She’s fond of giving orders, ” Lucy complained. “She’s turning everyone against me. She’s mean. And she’s fat.” “Excuse me,” I said, struggling for calm. “What did you just said?” “She’s fat.” Lucy mumbled(含糊地说).“We’re going upstairs,” I said, my voice cold. “We’re going to discuss this.” And up we went. I’d spent the nine years since her birth getting ready for this day, the day we’d have the conversation about this horrible word. I knew exactly what to say to the girl on the receiving end of the teasing, but in all of my imaginings, it never once occurred to me that my daughter would be the one who used the F word-Fat.
My daughter sat on her bed, and I sat beside her. “How would you feel if someone made fun of you for something that wasn’t your fault?” I began. “She could stop eating so much,” Lucy mumbled, mouthing the simple advice a thousand doctors have given overweight women for years.
“It’s not always that easy,” I said. “Everyone’s different in terms of how they treat food.” Lucy looked at me, waiting for me to go on. I opened my mouth, then closed it. Should I tell her that, in teasing a woman’s weight, she’s joined the long tradition of critics? Should I tell her I didn’t cry when someone posted my picture and commented , “I’m sorry, but aren’t authors who write books marketed to young women supposed to be pretty?”
Does she need to know, now, that life isn’t fair? I feel her eyes on me, waiting for an answer I don’t have. Words are my tools. Stories are my job. It’s possible she’ll remember what I say forever, and I have no idea what to say.
So I tell her the only thing I can come up with that is absolutely true. I say to my daughter, “I love you, and there is nothing you could ever do to make me not love you. But I’m disappointed in you right now. There are plenty of reasons for not liking someone. What she looks like isn’t one of them. ”
Lucy nods, tears on her cheeks. “I won’t say that again,” she tells me, and I pull her close, pressing my nose against her hair. As we sit there together, I pray for her to be smart and strong. I pray for her to find friends, work she loves, a partner who loves her. And still, always, I pray that she will never struggle as I’ve struggled, that weight will never be her cross to bear. She may not be able to use the word in our home, but I can use in my head. I pray that she will never get fat.
The underlined sentence in Paragraph 1 indicates that Lucy ______.

A．often makes fun of her friend J.

B．has turned against her friend J.

C．gets along well with her friend J.

D．has begun to compete with her friend J.

Why does the author want to discuss with Lucy?

A．Because she wants to offer some other helpful advice.

B．Because she has prepared the conversation for nine years.

C．Because she is really shocked at Lucy’s rudeness.

D．Because she decides to tell Lucy a similar story of her own.

What does the author want to tell her daughter?

A．It is not easy to take the doctors’ advice to eat less.

B．People shouldn’t complain because life is unfair.

C．She herself was once laughed at for her appearance.

D．People shouldn’t be blamed for their appearance.

It can be inferred from the passage that_________.

A．the author earns a living by writing stories.

B．the author is a fat but good-looking woman.

C．the author will stop loving her daughter for what she said.

D．the author’s daughter agreed with her from the very beginning.

We can learn from the last paragraph that_________.

A．Lucy was deeply moved by her mother’s prayer.

B．a mother’s prayer will shape her daughter’s attitude towards life

C．the author allows her daughter to use the F word in her head

D．the author hopes her daughter will never have weight trouble

The author’s attitude towards her daughter can be best described as _________.

A．loving but strict

B．indifferent but patient

C．satisfied and friendly

D．unsatisfied and angry

Heather Mills McCartney lives an admirable life, attending celebrity parties, meeting regularly with the rich and famous and doing meaningful work for charity. All who work with her admire and respect her. But Heather’s life hasn’t always been so easy. When Heather was only 9 years old, her mother abandoned her and her two brothers. At the age of 13, she ran away from home and ended up living on the streets in London. Eventually, however, her exceptional beauty led to a career in modeling. At that time, Heather also began helping with the war relief efforts in former Yugoslavia. Through her modeling and relief work, she soon became famous.
But in August 1993, at age 25 her life changed once again. She was crossing the street in London when a motorcycle crashed into her. She was so badly injured that the doctors had to cut off her left leg. After that, she discovered she frequently needed to change her artificial limbs. It was expensive and she felt it was a waste to just throw away the old one. It occurred to her to set up an organization that could deliver used artificial limbs to Yugoslavia and other war-torn countries. It was through her charity work that she met her husband Paul McCartney.
Throughout her life, Heather has risen above problems and focused on helping others. Her work with artificial limbs even earned her a nomination(提名) for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996. Heather’s persistence and determination are what impresses anyone who knows her. Heather believes anyone can make a positive difference in the world.
This passage is mainly about _________.

A．Heather’s miserable life	B．Heather’s contribution to the world
C．Heather’s success in her work	D．Heather’s belief in life

Heather began her modeling career _________.

A．due to her mother’s encouragement

B．after her brothers abandoned her

C．because of her excellent intelligence and performances

D．because she was especially beautiful

Which of the following is Not true according to the passage?

A．Heather won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996.

B．Heather began her charity work while working as a model.

C．Her artificial limbs had to be replaced continuously.

D．Heather has never been defeated by her problems.

From the passage we can infer that people admire and respect Heather because
_________.

A．she had a lot of misfortunes during her childhood.

B．she was a world-famous model

C．she is determined and never gives in

D．she made a great difference in the world

People fell in love with Elizabeth Taylor in 1944, when she starred in National Velvet-the story of Velvet Brown, a young girl who wins first place in a famous horse race, At first, the producers of the movie told Taylor that she was too small to play the part of Velvet. However, they waited for her for a few months as she exercised and trained—and added three inches to her height in four months! Her acting in National Velvet is still considered the best by a child actress.
Elizabeth Taylor was born in London in 1932. Her parents, both Americans, had moved there for business reasons. When World War II started, the Taylor moved to Beverly Hills, California, and there Elizabeth started acting in movies. After her success as a child star, Taylor had no trouble moving into adult(成人)roles and won twice for Best Actress: Butterfield 8 (1960) and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf ? (1966)
Taylor’s fame(名声)and popularity gave her a lot of power with the movie industry, so she was able to demand very high pay for her movies. In 1963, she received $1 million for her part in Cleopatra—the highest pay received by any star up to that time.
Elizabeth Taylor is a legend (传奇人物) of our time. Like Velvet Brown in National Velvet, she has been lucky, she has beauty, fame and wealth. But she is also a hard worker. Taylor seldom acts in movies any more. Instead, she puts her time and efforts into her businesses, and into helping others—several years ago, she founded an organization that has raised more than $40 million for research and education.
The producers didn’t let Taylor play the part of Velvet at first because they thought she ____.

A．was small in size

B．was too young

C．did not play well enough

D．did not show much interest

What Elizabeth Taylor and Velvet Brown had in common was that they were both _____.

A．popular all their lives	B．famous actresses
C．successful when very young	D．rich and kind-hearted

Taylor became Best Actress at the age of          .

A．12

B．28

C．31

D．34

In her later life, Elizabeth Taylor devoted herself to             .

A．doing business and helping others

B．turning herself into a legend

C．collecting money for the poor

D．going about research and education work

In 1959, when Jean Harper was in the third grade, her teacher gave the class an assignment to write a report on what they wanted to be when they grew up. She poured her heart into her report and expressed her dream of becoming an airline pilot. Her paper came back with an "F" on it. The teacher told her it was a "fairy tale". Jean was heartbroken and ashamed. As the years went by, Jean was beaten down by the discouragement and negativity she encountered whenever she talked about her dream. "Girls can't become airline pilots; never have, never will. You're crazy. That's impossible. "Finally Jean gave up.
In her senior year of high school, her English teacher was a Mrs. Dorothy Slaton, a demanding teacher with high standards. One day Mrs. Slaton asked this question: "If you had unlimited finances, unlimited access to the finest schools, unlimited talents and abilities, what would you do?" Jean felt a rush of the old enthusiasm, and with excitement she wrote down the very old dream.
The next thing that Mrs. Slaton said changed the course of Jean's life. The teacher leaned forward over her desk and said, "I have a little secret for you. You do have unlimited abilities and talents. When you leave school, if you don't go for your dreams, no one will do it for you. You can have what you want if you want it enough."
The hurt and fear of years of discouragement disappeared all of a sudden. Jean felt thrilled and told her about her dream of becoming a pilot. Mrs. Slaton slapped the desk top. "Then do it!" she said.
So Jean did. It didn't happen overnight. In her l0 years of hard work, even facing varieties of laugh, frustration and opposition, she never gave up her dream. Instead, she went on doing everything her third-grade teacher said was fairy-tale.
Eventually, Jean Harper became a Boeing 737 captain for the United Airline Company.
Jean’s third-grade teacher thought her dream to be ____________.

A．great	B．impossible
C．challenging	D．reasonable

Mrs. Slaton may hold the view that _____________.

A．only some of her students have great potential

B．her students are good enough to be admitted to the best schools

C．belief contributes to realizing a dream

D．Jean was to have her dream realized

According to the passage, we can infer that___________.

A．Jean’s dream was always in her deep heart

B．Jean owed her success to all her teachers

C．most people around Jean approved of her dream

D．Jean achieved her dream with ease

Which is the best title of the passage?

A．A Respectable Teacher	B．How to Realize a Dream
C．Hard Work Pays off	D．Reach for the Sky

Shakespeare’s Birthplace and Exhibition of Shakespeare’s World
Welcome to the world-famous house where William Shakespeare was born in l564 and where he grew up. The property (房产) remained in the ownership of Shakespeare’s family until 1806. The House has welcomed visitors traveling from all over the world, for over 250 years.
◆Enter through the Visitors’ Centre and see the highly-praised exhibition Shakespeare's World, a lively and full introduction to the life and work of Shakespeare.
◆Stand in the rooms where Shakespeare grew up.
◆Discover examples of furniture and needlework from Shakespeare’s  period.
◆Enjoy the traditional English garden, planted with trees and flowers mentioned in the poet’s works.
pThe Birthplace is within easy walking distance of all the car parks shown on the map: nearest is Windsor Street (3 minutes’ Walk).
㊣The House may present difficulties but the Visitors’ Centre, its exhibition, and the garden are accessible (可进入的) to wheelchair users.
⊙The Shakespeare Coffee House (opposite the Birthplace).
How much is the admission for a family of two grown-ups and two children?

A．￡9.80.

B．￡12.00.

C．￡14.20.

D．￡16.40.

Where is the nearest parking place to Shakespeare’s Birthplace?

A．Behind the exhibition hall.

B．Opposite the Visitors’ Centre.

C．At Windsor Street.

D．Near the Coffee House.

A wheelchair user may need help to enter       .

A．the House	B．the garden
C．the Visitors’ Centre	D．the exhibition hall

The associates I hired in my bicycle and lawn mower shop like myself were never perfect; however, they were excellent. Working with them as they improved taught me new ways to show forgiveness, understanding, and patience.
One day the placement officer asked me to interview a young man who was having trouble finding a job. He told me that David was a little shy, did not talk much and was afraid to go on with interviews. He requested that I give David an interview just for practice. He plainly told David that I had no positions open at the time and the interview was just for practice.
When David came in for the interview, he hardly said a word. I told him what we did at the bicycle shop and showed him around. I told David to keep showing up because the number one thing an employer wanted in an associate was dependability.
David was very quiet (he was evaluated as a slow learner in school). Every ten days or so, for weeks after the interview, David walked into the bicycle shop and stood by the front door. He never said a word, just stood by the door.
One day, shortly before Christmas, a large truck came to the shop, packed with 250 new bicycles. It had to be unloaded right away or the driver would leave.
It was raining. Some of my workers (without physical limitations) chose not to brave the weather to get into work, so I was short-handed. It seemed everything was going wrong and on top of it, David came in the front door and just stood there. I looked at him and shouted, “Well, all right! Fill out a time card and help me unload this truck!”
David worked for my bicycle shop for eighteen years. He came to work every day thirty minutes early. He could talk; however, he rarely chose to. He drove my truck and made deliveries. The customers would praise David, saying, “He doesn’t talk, but he really shows you how to operate a lawn mower!”
The author finally hired David because________.

A．there were no other workers in the shop then

B．he needed someone who was willing to work then

C．David kept showing up

D．he realized David was dependable

We can infer from the last paragraph that_______.

A．the author feels lucky to hire David

B．David has had his character changed through work

C．the author prefers David to be more outgoing

D．some customers just play jokes on David

The author gave David an interview to _______.

A．find a person who is reliable

B．find a part-time worker in need

C．give him some practice

D．show sympathy for him

The author’s tone in describing David is full of ______.

A．pity	B．wonder
C．disappointment	D．appreciation

Cleverness is a gift while kindness is a choice．Gifts are easy—they’re given after all．Choice can be hard．
I got the idea to start Amazon 16 years ago．I came across the fact that the Internet usage was growing at 2300 percent per year．I’d never seen or heard of anything that grew that fast，and the idea of building all online bookstore with millions of titles was very exciting to me. I had just turned 30 years old，and I’d been married for a year．I told my wife MacKenzie that I wanted to quit my job and go to do this crazy thing that probably wouldn’t work since most start-ups don’t and I wasn’t sure what to expect．MacKenzie told me I should go for it．As a young boy，I’d been a garage inventor．I’d always wanted to be all inventor，and she wanted me to follow my passion．
I was working at a financial firm in New York City with a bunch of very smart people and I had a brilliant boss that I much admired．I went to my boss and told him I wanted to start a company selling books on the Internet．He took me on a long walk in Central Park，listened carefully to me，and finally said，“That sounds like a really good idea，but it would be an even better idea for someone who didn’t already have a good job．”That 1ogic made some sense to me，and he convinced me to think about it for 48 hours before making a final decision．Seen in that light,it really was a difficult choice，but finally，I decided I had to give it a shot．I didn’t think I’d regret trying and failing．And I suspected I would always be haunted by a decision to not try at all.
After much consideration ，I took the less safe path to follow my passion ，and I’m proud of that choice．For all of us，in the end，we are our choice．
What inspired the author with the idea of building an online bookstore?

A．His dream of being an inventor．

B．The support of his wife．

C．The greatly increasing usage of the Internet．

D．Millions of exciting titles,

Which of the following is closest in meaning to the underlined sentence?

A．The idea of not trying would keep coming to his mind and disturb him．

B．He would be very excited if he tried it out．

C．Be would be always having a doubt if he didn’t try．

D．The decision to not try the online bookstore would terrify him．

Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?

A．Cleverness and Kindness	B．The Starting of Amazon
C．Following My Passion	D．We Are What We Choose

We can know from the passage that_______．

A．the boss thought the idea was suitable for the author

B．the author wanted someone else to try the idea

C．the author might not regret if he failed the idea

D．the author might go back to his boss if he failed

After a terrible electrical accident, which caused him to become both blind and deaf, the whole world became completely dark and quiet for Robert Edwards for almost ten years. The loss of sight and hearing threw him into such sorrow that he tried a few times to put an end to his life. His family, especially his wife, did their best to tend and comfort him and finally he regained the will to live.
One hot summer afternoon, he was taking a walk with a stick near his house when a thunderstorm started all at once. He stood under a large tree to avoid getting wet, but he was struck by the lightning. Witnesses thought he was dead but he woke up some 20 minutes later lying face down in muddy water at the base of the tree. He was trembling badly, but when he opened his eyes, he could hardly believe what he saw: a plough and a wall. When Mrs. Edwards came running up to him, shouting to their neighbors to call for help, he could see her and hear her voice for the first time in nearly ten years.
The news of Robert regaining his sight and hearing quickly spread, and many doctors came to examine him. Most of them said that he regained his sight and hearing from the shock he got from the lightning. However, none of them could give a convincing answer as to why this should have happened. The only reasonable explanation given by one doctor was that, since Robert lost his sight and hearing as a result of a sudden shock, perhaps, the only way for him to regain them was by another sudden shock.
The reason for Robert’s attempts to kill himself was that _________.

A．a terrible traffic accident happened to him

B．he had to live in a dark and silent world

C．he was struck by the lightning once more

D．nobody in the world cared about him

What was Robert doing when he was struck by the lightning?

A．Taking a walk with a stick.

B．Sheltering from the rain under a tree.

C．Driving a car.

D．Lying on the ground.

We can infer from the text that ________.

A．Robert’s wife sent for doctors immediately after the shock

B．many doctors came because Robert was badly injured

C．there was no exact explanation for Robert’s recovery

D．a sudden injury in the head led to Robert’s recovery

What’s the best title of the whole passage?

A．A Terrible Electrical Accident

B．Robert Edwards and His Wife

C．What a Sudden Shock

D．An Unforgettable Experience

It was Christmas 1961. I was teaching in a small town in Ohio where my twenty seven third graders eagerly anticipated the great day of gift giving.
Each day the children made some new wonder – strings of popcorn, hand-made decorations, and German bells made from wallpaper samples, which we hung from the ceiling. Through it all she stayed indifferent(漠不关心的), watching from afar, seemingly miles away. I wondered what would happen to this quiet child, once so happy, now so suddenly unsociable. I hoped the festivities would light her up. But nothing did.
The day of gift giving finally came. We oohed and aahed over our handwork as the presents were exchanged. Through it all, she sat quietly watching. I had made a special package for her, red and green with white lace. I wanted very much to see her smile. She opened it so slowly and carefully. I waited but she turned away.
After school the children left in little groups, but she hesitated, watching them go out of the door. I sat down to catch my breath, hardly know what was happening when she came to me reaching out her hands, holding a small white box, unwrapped and slightly soiled, as though it had been held many times by unwashed, childish hands. “For me?” I asked with a weak smile. She said not a word, but nodded her head. I took the box and carefully opened it. There inside, lay a golden chain. In a flash I knew – she had made it for her mother, a mother she would never see again, a mother who would never hold her or brush her hair or share a funny story, a mother who would never again hear her childish joys or sorrows, a mother who had taken her own life just three weeks before.
I held out the chain. She took it in both her hands, reached forward, and put it on at the back of my neck. She stepped back then as if to see that all was well. I looked down at the golden chain, then back at the giver, “Maria, it is so beautiful. She would have loved it.” Neither of us could stop the tears. She threw herself into my arms and we were in tears together. And for that moment I became her mother, for she had given me the greatest gift of all: herself.
The underlined “anticipated” (Paragraph 1) is closest in meaning to _________.

A．prepared

B．expected

C．talked

D．kept

We can learn from the story that_________.

A．the beautiful chain was put inside a beautiful box

B．Maria made a golden chain of popcorn for her mother

C．the teacher made a special package for Maria so as to see her smile

D．Maria oohed and aahed over the handwork as the presents were exchanged

Maria became quiet and unsociable because_________.

A．she was a shy girl

B．her teacher didn’t give her any gift

C．her mother passed away three weeks ago

D．she didn’t have any friends in the class

The underlined sentence (Paragraph 5) mostly means_________.

A．Maria found her biological mother

B．Maria asked her teacher to be her mother

C．the teacher promised to be Maria’s mother after receiving her greatest gift

D．Maria believed in her considerate teacher and opened her heart to the teacher

The BEST title for the passage is _________.

A．The kid’s gift	B．A quiet girl
C．The greatest teacher	D．The great day of gift giving

When Ben Franklin was very only a boy, he always wanted to know about things. He was always asking his father and brothers “What?” and “How?” and “Why?”
They couldn’t always tell him what he wanted to know.
When they couldn’t tell him, Ben tried to find out for himself.
Many times Ben did find out things that no one knew before. The other boys would say, “That’s Ben Franklin! He’s always finding out something new! ” 
Ben lived close to the water. He liked to go there to see the boats. He saw how the wind blew them across the water.
One day Ben said to himself, “Why can’t the wind help me float across the water? And I’m going to try.” Ben got his big kite. He took hold of the kite string and ran with it. The wind took the kite up into the air. Then Ben jumped into the water.
The wind blew the kite high into the air. Ben began to float across the water. Soon he was on the other side, and he had not worked at all.
One boy shouted, “Look at Ben floating across the water! His kite takes him to the other side without any work!”
“Yes”, said another. “He’s always finding new ways to do things.”
When he was only a child, Ben _____.

A．liked to fly a kite by himself

B．always asked easy questions

C．always liked to play with water

D．always liked to find out how things worked

His father and brothers _____.

A．couldn’t answer all his questions

B．could answer all his questions

C．tried hard to find out something new for him

D．were too busy to answer his questions

How did Ben Franklin float across the water?

A．The other boy took him across it.

B．The water carried him across it.

C．The flying kite took him across it.

D．A boat took him across it.

He found out many things that ____.

A．children didn’t know

B．his father and brothers knew

C．people didn’t know

D．most people knew

An “apple polisher” is one who gives gifts to win friendship or special treatment. It is not exactly a bribe(贿赂),but is close to it.
All sorts of people are apple polishers, including politicians and people in high offices ── just about everybody. Oliver Cromwell, the great English leader, offered many gifts to win the support of George Fox and his party, but failed.
There are other phrases meaning the same thing as “apple-polishing” ── “soft-soaping” or “butter-up”. A gift is just one way to “soft-soap” somebody, or to “butter him up”. Another that is just as effective is flattery, giving someone high praise ── telling him how good he looks, or how well he speaks, or how talented and wise he is.
Endless are the ways of flattery. Who does not love or hear it ? Only an unusual man can resist the thrill of being told how wonderful he is. In truth, flattery is good medicine for most of us, who gets so little of it.
We need it to be more sure of ourselves. It cannot hurt unless we get carried away by it. But we just lap it up for its food value and nourishment, as a cat laps up milk, then we can still remain true to ourselves.
Sometimes, however, flattery will get you nothing from one who has had too much of it. A good example is the famous 12th century legend of King Canute of Denmark and England. The king got tired of listening to the endless sickening flattery of his courtiers（朝臣）.They overpraised him to the skies, as a man of limitless power.
He decided to teach them a lesson. He took them to the seashore and sat down. Then he ordered the waves to stop coming in. The tide was too busy to listen to him. The king was satisfied. This might show his followers how weak his power was and how empty their flattery.
Which of the following activities has nothing to do with “apple-polishing” ?

A．A boy tells his girlfriend how pretty she looks

B．An employee tells his boss how good he is at management

C．A knight(骑士)is said to be of limitless power by his followers

D．A teacher praised his students for their talent and wisdom.

Which of the following statement about flattery is TRUE according to the author ?

A．Too much flattery can carry us away

B．Flattery is too empty to do people any good

C．Flattery can get nothing but excessive(过度的)pride

D．Flattery is one of the ways to apple-polish people.

King Canute of Denmark and England took his followers to the seashore because __________.

A．he was sick of his normal

B．he disliked being overpraised any more

C．he wanted them to realize how wise he was

D．he wanted them to see how weak he was as a king

The author thinks that flattery can do good to those who _________.

A．are really excellent

B．lack confidence

C．are politicians or in high offices

D．think highly of themselves