Christopher Thomas, 27, was a writer by night and a teacher by day when he noticed he was always tired and was losing weight fast. Diagnosed with diabetes(糖尿病), Thomas would need to inject himself with insulin(胰岛素) three times a day for the rest of his life or risk nerve damage, blindness, and even death. And if that weren't bad enough, he had no health insurance.
After a month of feeling upset, Thomas decided he'd better find a way to fight back. He left Canton, Michigan for New York, got a job waiting tables, nicknamed himself the Diabetic Rockstar, and created diabeticrockstar.com, a free online community for diabetics and their loved ones—a place where over 1,100 people share personal stories, information, and resources.
Jason Swencki’s son, Kody, was diagnosed with type diabetes at six. Father and son visit the online children's forums(论坛) together most evenings. "Kody gets so excited, writing to kids from all over," says Swencki, one of the site's volunteers. "They know what he's going through, so he doesn't feel alone."
Kody is anything but alone: Diabetes is now the seventh leading cause of death in the United States, with 24 million diagnosed cases. And more people are being diagnosed at younger ages.
These days, Thomas's main focus is his charity（慈善机构）, Fight It, which provides medicines and supplies to people—225 to date—who can't afford a diabetic's huge expenses. Fight-it.org has raised about $23,000—in products and in cash. In May, Thomas will hold the first annual Diabetic Rockstar Festival in the Caribbean.
Even with a staff of 22 volunteers, Thomas often devotes up to 50 hours a week to his cause, while still doing his full-time job waiting tables. "Of the diabetes charities out there, most are putting money into finding a cure," says Bentley Gubar, one of Rockstar's original members. "But Christopher is the only person I know saying people need help now."Which of the following is true of Christopher Thomas?
| A．He needs to go to the doctor every day. |
| B．He studies the leading cause of diabetes |
| C．He has a positive attitude to this disease. |
| D．He encourages diabetics by writing articles. |
Diabeitcrockstar.com was created for _________.
| A．diabetics to communicate | B．volunteers to find jobs |
| C．children to amuse themselves | D．rock stars to share resources. |
According to the text, Kody ______.
| A．feel lonely because of his illness | B．benefits from diabeticrockstar.com |
| C．helps create the online kid’s forums | D．writes children’s stories online |
What can we learn about Fight It?
| A．It helps the diabetics in financial difficulties. |
| B．It organizes parties for volunteer once a year. |
| C．It offers less expensive medicine to diabetics. |
| D．It owns a well-known medical website. |
The last paragraph suggests that Thomas ______.
| A．works full-time in a diabetes charity | B．employs 22 people for his website |
| C．helps diabetics in his own way | D．ties to find a cure for diabetes |
Crossing Texas and Mexico, the Big Bend region is high in biodiversity(生物的多样性). It’s a place so untamed that if something doesn’t bite, stick, or sting, it’s probably a rock.
You know you have arrived in the heart of the Chihuahuan Desert when it feels as if you have fallen off the edge of the earth and into the rabbit hole. Nothing is as it appears. Moths (蛀虫) are the size of birds. Are those twin pillars (柱) of black rock (a landmark known as Mule Ear Peaks) ten miles (16 kilometers) away or fifty (80 kilometers)? Visibility (能见度) reaches more than a hundred miles on a clear day, and since there are few roads or buildings to use as milestones, distance is difficult to judge.
This is a place where water runs uphill, where rainbows have to wait for rain. The line between myth (虚构的故事) and reality is unclear. Stare long enough at the Chisos Mountains or the Sierra del Carmen, the two mountain ranges, known as sky islands, which lie on the land, and they rise and float above the plain.
The vast Chihuahuan Desert is a land of no people. There is always the chance you’ll die of thirst. The “You Can Die”possibilities are endless, and keep some visitors — 350,000 a year to Big Bend National Park, built in 1944 — from coming back. Those who do return are left to think of the remarkable courage of the brave few who have managed to survive in this terrible environment. The underlined word“untamed”in Paragraph 1 means“________”.
| A．untouched | B．wild | C．unchanged | D．fresh |
Why do the twin pillars of black rock seem ten or fifty miles away?
| A．They were put so far away. |
| B．They lie across the Chihuahuan Desert. |
| C．It is difficult to judge the distance, with few milestones. |
| D．One lies in the Chisos Mountains, the other in the Sierra del Carmen. |
How many years are there since the Big Bend National Park was built?
| A．350,000 years. | B．350 years. | C．66 years. | D．44 years. |
What is the passage mainly about?
| A．The natural wonders of the Chihuahuan Desert. |
| B．Everything you see is not what it seems in the Chihuahuan Desert. |
| C．The terrible environment of deserts in Texas and Mexico. |
| D．A special place where none who go can return. |
What can we learn from the last paragraph?
| A．There are all kinds of living things in the Chihuahuan Desert. |
| B．No people live in the Big Bend region. |
| C．Nothing is as it appears in the Big Bend region. |
| D．Traveling in the Big Bend region is dangerous. |
“Cleverness is a gift while kindness is a choice. Gifts are easy – they’re given after all. Choices can be hard.” –– Jeff Bezos.
I got the idea to start Amazon 16 years ago. I came across the fact that the Internet usage was growing at 2,300 percent per year. I’d never seen or heard of anything that grew that fast, and the idea of building an 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 an 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 logic 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 ultimately (最后), 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 choices.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．He would be always having a doubt if he didn’t try. |
| D．The decision to not try the online bookstore would terrify him. |
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 |
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 |
My wife and I spent two weeks in London last year. We went there in the autumn. We think it is the best season to visit England. The weather is usually good and there aren’t too many tourists in October.
We stayed in a small hotel in the West End. It was convenient as we did most of our sightseeing on foot. Taxis were too expensive, we couldn’t understand the bus routes, and my wife didn’t like traveling under the ground. She said it made her feel sick.
We went to look at the places which all tourists visit. We saw Buckingham Palace. We went shopping in Oxford Street and spent too much money. What we liked most, though, was going to the theatre. We didn’t have the chance to see such wonderful plays at home. A lot of people say English food is bad. We didn’t think so. It is true that most of the restaurants are French or Italian or Chinese, but we had some very good meals.
In fact, we enjoyed our holiday so much that we have already booked again for this year. We are going to take our umbrellas, though. I’m sure we’ll need them sometimes.The couple chose a small hotel in the West End to stay in because _________.
| A．taxis were too expensive | B．they could go sightseeing on foot |
| C．the underground made the wife feel sick | D．all the above |
The couple had some difficulty in ________.
| A．booking in the hotel | B．finding the bus routes |
| C．going sightseeing on foot | D．having meals |
Generally speaking, the couple _________the trip to London.
| A．were satisfied with | B．disliked |
| C．were a bit unhappy about | D．regretted |
What did the couple think of English food?
| A．terrible | B．not bad | C．great | D．comfort |
Which of the following is NOT true about the couple?
| A．They thought English food was bad. | B．They will visit London again. |
| C．They visited London last October. | D．They didn’t take their umbrella last year. |
Charlie works in a post office. His father lost his job five years ago and his mother is often ill. And he has two brothers and a sister. He works hard and tries his best to buy enough food for his family.
Last month his family had to move to an old house outside the city. It's farther from the post office and he has to get up early in the morning in order to catch the 6:30 train. The head of his office is strict and everybody has to get there on time. He knows what it'll mean if he's late. A friend of his had pity on(同情) him and lent his old car to him. The young man was happy and from then on he could go to work by car.
Last Saturday Charlie went to buy some medicine for his mother. Bad luck! When he came out of the shop, he couldn't find the car. He was quite worried and began to look for it in front of the shop but he didn't find it. Suddenly he saw a woman parked a car there and hurried into the shop. Charlie saw the car wasn't locked. He got on it and drove it at once. He was afraid the loser would run after him and drove fast. A truck hit it at a crossing and he lost consciousness.(知觉)
This morning the young man came back to life and saw there were a few policemen standing by his bed. He asked, "Where am I?"
"In Room 103."
"In hospital or in prison ?"There’re ________ people in Charlie's family.
| A．four | B．five | C．six | D．seven |
Charlie’s family moved to the old house outside the city because _______.
| A．it's very quiet there | B．they hoped to save some money |
| C．he could get to his office by train | D．his father had found a job there |
Charlie has to get to his office on time because ___________.
| A．the head is strict with them | B．he wishes to be praised |
| C．he's usually on duty | D．he's afraid to be fired |
For did Charlie buy any medicine last Saturday?
| A．himself | B．his father |
| C．his sister. | D．his mother |
Charlie was afraid ________, so he drove fast.
| A．to be late | B．to meet the red lights |
| C．to be caught by the loser | D．to miss the 6:30 train |
In 1987, while serving as the public affairs officer at Fort Bragg, I would frequently visit the local high schools to speak to the students about the Army. As a lieutenant colonel(中校), I found it particularly rewarding to talk with the teenagers about the benefits of military service, if only for a few years of their lives.
During one of these visits, I reported to the secretary in the principal’s office to let her know that I was here for the third-period class. I was a little surprised when she told me. “The principal would like to see you before you go to the class.”
As I entered his office, I was greeted by a gentleman who appeared to be in his late thirties, and he welcomed me with a smile and a handshake. “You don’t remember me, do you?” he said.
I looked closely at the face again and could not recall where we may have met before.
“You were my company commander in basic training at Fort Jackson in 1970,” the principal said.
“Let me help you out,” he suggested. “You gave me a three-day pass to go home and see my newborn baby.” I immediately remembered the incident!
“Yes,” I said. “I remember now.” It was the only three-day pass I had issued because the soldiers were on their way to Vietnam immediately after they finished training. But I knew if I did not let him go home to see his son and something happened to him, I would regret denying the opportunity he had to be with his family.
“Come on, Colonel. I’d like to introduce you to ‘the baby’. He’s in your third-period class. By letting me go see him, you gave me a reason to stay focused and to come home safe from that war. Thank you , sir.”
It was the most rewarding class I had ever given, and I had no problem in telling the students about the bonds of friendship and the values that Army life can provide…and that can last a lifetime. In the writer’s opinion, talking to teens about the Army is .
| A．a forced task | B．a pleasant thing |
| C．an unavoidable duty | D．an embarrassing experience |
Why did the principal want to see the writer?
| A．He wanted to send his son to the Army. |
| B．He felt sorry for causing the writer trouble. |
| C．He was disappointed at the writer’s lecture. |
| D．He intended to express his thanks to the writer. |
The underlined part in the text suggests that .
| A．the son may die | B．the son may become ill |
| C．the soldier may die in the war | D．the soldier may be hurt in the training |
What might be the most suitable title for the text?
| A．A soldier remembers. | B．A principal thinks |
| C．A baby grows | D．A lecture continues |
Elizabeth Blackwell was born on February 3, 1821 in Bristol, England. Her father was a rich sugar businessman at the time. Because her parents thought boys and girls should be equal, Elizabeth received the same education as her brothers.
In 1832, her father’s business was destroyed by fire, so her family moved to New York City. But her father’s business there failed. Then in 1837, the family moved to Cincinnati, Ohio. Not long after, her father died. After her father’s death, Elizabeth, at the age of 16, had to go to work.
When she was 24, she visited her dying friend Mary. Her friend said, “You’re young and strong, you should become a doctor.” That was nearly impossible for a woman in the middle of the nineteenth century. But she knew this was what she was going to do.
After several rejections from medical schools, she finally was accepted by Geneva Medical College. By studying hard, she graduated successfully in 1849.
After graduating from medical school, she went to Paris to learn more about medicine. She wanted to be a surgeon, but a serious eye problem forced her to give up the idea.
When she returned to America in 1851, she found it difficult to start her own practice because she was a woman. In 1857, Elizabeth and her sister, also a doctor, along with another woman doctor, managed to open a new hospital, the first for women and children. Besides, she also set up the first medical school for women in 1868, where she taught the women students about disease prevention. It was the first time that the idea of preventing disease was taught in a medical school.
Elizabeth Blackwell started the British National Health Society in 1871, which helped people learn how to stay healthy. In 1889, Elizabeth Blackwell became the first woman doctor in the United States. Most importantly, she fought for the admission of women to medical colleges.
Elizabeth Blackwell died on May 3, 1910, when she was 89.She opened a world of chances for women. She always fought for what was right in all her life. In 1949 the Blackwell medal was established. It’s given to women who have excellent achievements in the field of medicine. She’ll always be remembered as a great woman. According to the passage, Elizabeth Blackwell ________.
| A．received bad education in her childhood |
| B．spent a happy and lucky childhood |
| C．moved to America with her family at eleven |
| D．decided to be a doctor due to her father’s death |
Elizabeth Blackwell could not become a surgeon because ________.
| A．she was a woman |
| B．she had a serious eye problem |
| C．she went to Paris for further education |
| D．she didn’t go to medical school |
Elizabeth Blackwell spent most of her life in ________.
| A．the U.S. | B．Paris | C．England | D．Geneva |
Which of the following is NOT TRUE about Elizabeth Blackwell?
| A．She built the first hospital for women and children with others. |
| B．She became the first woman doctor in the U.S. |
| C．She set up the first medical school for women in the world. |
| D．She built a medal for women with excellent achievements in medicine. |
Gabby Logan was a gymnast when she was young. She is now the 39-year-old mother of seven-year-old twins, Reuben and Lois. The other day on TV she was dressed in a new swimsuit, which was designed to show off her nice figure, which was admired by a great number of television viewers.
Gabby, who won high praise for her television show of the Olympics, has asked the woman of the whole nation to go to the swimming pool, saying the secret of her figure is regular swimming. She is also making advertisements for the new Sculpture Swimwear of Speedo, an international swimsuit company, to help women find the perfect swimsuit.
Gabby said, "We all felt uneasy about getting into our swimwear at first. But we should be excited by the sporting achievements we have seen at the Olympics this summer. To get ourselves a little healthier, have a try and go to the swimming pool. " Then she said," Swimming is the perfect exercise if you want to feel healthy or simply relax. I find that going for a swim always clears my mind and also gives me some valuable 6 my time'. I like the calm of swimming which I can't experience when I am not in the pool. "
A study by Speedo, an International company, which sells swimsuits, reported the biggest reason why women were put off going to the pool was the way they looked in swimwear. More than half of the l,000 women surveyed have been reduced to tears when trying on swimwear. And 48 percent said they felt too self-conscious to go swimming with their children. Sally Polak, from Speedo, said, " We're hoping to give women the courage and confidence to get back into the water. "
What can we learn about Gabby Logan?
| A．She has two children of the same age. |
| B．She appeared on TV to show off her nice figure. |
| C．She was a swimmer when she was young. |
| D．She took part in the Olympic Games when she was young. |
What is the main reason why Gabby has a nice figure?
| A．She is a gymnast. |
| B．She often swims. |
| C．She has a peaceful mind |
| D．She wears Sculpture Swimwear. |
The biggest reason why most women were stopped from swimming is _ .
| A．their shy mind of wearing the swimsuit |
| B．their being too busy with their housework |
| C．their not being comfortable in the swimsuit |
| D．their being afraid of their child seeing them wear less |
What is the author's purpose of writing the text?
| A．To introduce a famous woman. |
| B．To discuss a TV show of the Olympics. |
| C．To report a way of keeping a good figure. |
| D．To encourage women to go swimming. |
At the age of ten I could not figure out what this Elvis Presley guy had that the rest of us boys did not have．I mean，he had a head，two arms and two legs，just like the rest of us．About nine o’clock on Saturday morning I decided to ask Eugene Correthers，one of the older boys，what it was that made this Elvis guy so special．He told me that it was Elvis’ wavy hair and the way he moved his body．
About half an hour later all the boys in the orphanage(孤儿院)were called to the main dining-room and told we were all going to downtown Jacksonville，Florida to get a new pair of Buster Brown shoes and a haircut．That is when I got this big idea，which hit me like a ton of bricks. If the Elvis hair cut was the big secret，then that’s what I was going to get．
A11 the way to town I told everybody, including the matron(女管家)from the orphanage who was taking us to town，that I was going to look just like Elvis Presley and that I would learn to move around just like he did and that I would be rich and famous one day, just like him．
When I got my new Buster Brown shoes, I could hardly wait for my new hair cut and now that I had my new Busier Brown shoes I would be very happy to go back to the orphanage and practice being like Elvis.
We finally arrived at the big barber shop，where they cut our hair for free because we were orphans(孤儿)．I looked at the barber and said，“I want an Elvis hair cut. Can you make my hair like Elvis?”I asked him，with a big smile on my face．“Let's just see what we can do for you，little man，”he said．I was so happy when he started to cut my hair．Just as he started to cut my hair, the matron signed for him to come over to where she was standing．She whispered something into his ear and then he shook his head，like he was telling her “No”．Then he told me they were not allowed to give us Elvis hair cuts．Then I saw my hair falling onto the floor．In the author’s eyes，Elvis Presley was_________．
| A．disgusting | B．admirable |
| C．ambitious | D．dynamic |
From the passage，we can know that______________．
| A．Buster Brown was more appealing than Elvis Presley |
| B．An Elvis hair cut cost the orphans a lot of money |
| C．The matron did not want the boy to have an Elvis hair cut |
| D．The barber was unwilling to give the boy an Elvis hair cut |
We can learn from the underlined sentence that the boy was______．
| A．excited to have an Elvis hair cut |
| B．worried to think about the secret |
| C．anxious to remove the ton of bricks |
| D．careful to seize the chance |
How would the boy probably feel when he walked out of the barber shop?
| A．Delighted． | B．Guilty． |
| C．Self-satisfied． | D．Depressed． |
I was in a shopping mall recently, and I decided to go and get a cup of tea. As I was making my way to the coffee shop, I noticed an old gentleman rather poorly dressed sitting on a bench nearby. I knew from the first sight that he was in need of some kind of help. He had a little lunch in front of him and was wholeheartedly enjoying it.
There was a young man in front of me in the line also waiting to be served. The young man handed the servant a twenty-dollar bill and asked for an orange juice as well as a favor. The servant looked at the young man with a little surprise, not fully understanding him. The young man asked her to give the juice to the old gentleman eating his lunch outside on the bench. The young man also told her that he would be watching every second so that she would be completely safe at all times. Later, there was a wonderful exchange between the waitress and the old man. I only wished I had taken a photo of the smiles on both of their faces.
As I was thinking about this event later on, I wondered why the young man didn’t just perform this act of kindness himself. I thought he was hoping that this act of kindness might inspire others to do something for the old man as well. Thinking of the happy smiles on the old man’s face, I felt how worthwhile it is to help others.The underlined word “favor” in Para. 2 refers to________.
| A．passing the young man a cup of orange juice |
| B．buying lunch for the old man |
| C．exchanging meals with the old man |
| D．giving the juice to the old man |
Which of the following can be used to describe the young man?
| A．Kind and considerate | B．Generous and proud. |
| C．Rich and friendly. | D．Humorous and helpful. |
In the author’s opinion, the young man asked the servant to take the juice to the old man so that____________.
| A．the old man could probably accept it |
| B．he would become famous for his good deed |
| C．more people would be inspired to do good deeds |
| D．he would become a friend of the servant |
The world’s richest man might seem to have it all, but Bill Gates has one regret. The self-made billionaire said he felt stupid for not knowing any foreign languages.
Speaking in his third Ask Me Anything question-and-answer session for online forum Reddit(红迪网), the Microsoft founder said that he wished he spoke French, Arabic or Chinese.
He said: “I took Latin and Greek in high school and got A’s and I guess it helps my vocabulary. I keep hoping to get time to study one of these—probably French because it is the easiest. I did Duolingo for a while but didn’t keep it up.”
Gates, who is worth $79.3 billion, praised Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg for surprising an audience in Beijing when he spoke fluent Chinese. “Mark Zuckerberg amazingly leamed Chinese and did a Q&A with Chinese students—unbelievable, isn’t it?” he said.
This isn’t the first time for Gates to admit his regret over language. He also showed his habits at home and personal insights.
Last February, Gates said he likes to do the dishes himself—to his own special standards every night and also told the interviewer that his wife, Melinda, would likely want Samuel L. Jackson to play her husband in a biopic(传记片).
He also admitted that he would pick up a $100 bill if he found it on the street.
As he took the top spot on Forbes(福布斯)28th Annual Billionaires list last year for the fourth time, he said he is pretty basic when it comes to so ending on clothes and food, but that he enjoys investing in shoes and racquets(球拍)when he plays tennis.
When asked a life lesson he had to learn the hard way, the billionaire said staying up too late is a habit he is still trying to break. “Don’t stay up too late even if the book is really exciting. You will regret it in the morning. Pam still working on this problem,” he said. Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?
| A．An Interview with Bill Gates |
| B．How Bill Gates Succeeded |
| C．Bill Gates’ Regret |
| D．The Richest Billionaire |
The underlined part in Paragraph 8 may actually mean that_____.
| A．it is important to lay a good foundation of life |
| B．food and clothing are basic needs for people’s life |
| C．he doesn’t spend much money on food and clothes |
| D．he never cares about buying food and clothing |
What advice did Bill Gates give?
| A．Avoid staying up too late. |
| B．Be a good language learner. |
| C．Do the dishes yourself at home. |
| D．Pick up the $100 bills in the streets. |
Which of the following is true according to the passage?
| A．Bill Gates is also the founder of Facebook |
| B．Bill Gates topped the list of Forbes 28 times. |
| C．Bill Gates was good at learning languages in high schoo1. |
| D．Bill Gates’ wife wants Samuel to play a game with Gates. |
Ben and his wife Susan were on their way to have dinner with their friends. It was a dark，windy night, and they did not know the way very well. They drove through a town until they found what they thought was the road to Dorling，where their friends lived. But it soon became clear that they were not on the road to Dorling at all. The road that they were on was getting narrower，and there were no other cars on it. The wind was blowing harder with every minute that passed.
They came to a small village .They drove past a church and then two houses without lights on. There was nobody about to tell them where they were，or where the road went. Just then，Ben saw a telephone box，twenty meters or so further on. While he walked back along the road to see if there was a name outside the church，Susan telephoned their friends and told them that they were still on their way.
Their friends were just saying that the dinner was already getting rather cold，when Ben came back to the telephone box，his head down against the wind. He said that there was a tree lying across the road，and that the telephone lines were down. Susan heard nothing more from their friends about the dinner.Some time later Ben and Susan found they took a wrong road because ________.
| A．their friends lived nearer than they drove |
| B．the road was getting narrower and their car alone was on it |
| C．the hard wind made them get lost |
| D．the road was not the same as before |
Ben went to the church to see if there was a name outside because ________.
| A．he was sure to find some people who knew Dorling |
| B．he hoped to get help from there |
| C．he wanted to telephone his friends where they were |
| D．he wanted to stay there for the night |
Susan could hear nothing more from their friends because ________.
| A．the telephone lines were broken by a tree |
| B．the strong wind made too much noise |
| C．they got angry |
| D．they had all left |
From the passage we know ________.
| A．Ben and his wife often went out for dinners |
| B．Ben and his wife lived in the country |
| C．both Ben and his wife were shortsighted(近视的) |
| D．Ben and his wife seldom(很少) went to Dorling |
One morning in Philadelphia, the sun shone bright through all the thick jungles and the tall churches. John, 6, wearing the worn-out clothes, walked from a far place, his dark small hands holding a piece of stolen bread.
John stopped for a moment at the entrance to the church and then left tightly holding the bread,
He was an orphan(孤儿), whose parents were killed in World War II leaving him alone in the orphanage for five years, Like many children in the house, he had a lot of free time. Mostly no one took care of them, so they had to learn how to steal those they wanted.
John believed God to be real, so every Sunday morning in any case he would go to the church to have a look and listen to those people singing inside or reading the Bible. He felt only at this moment he was the child of God and so close to God. But he couldn’t enter because his clothes were so dirty. John himself knew it.
John was quietly calculating the times. This was his 45th Sunday at the entrance to the church. He stood on tiptoe（踮着脚尖） for a while and walked away.
As time passed, the pastor(牧师) noticed John and learned from others that he was the small boy who liked stealing things in the orphanages.
On the 46th Sunday, the sun was shining and John came still holding a piece of bread with his dark small hands. When he just stood there, the pastor came out. He felt like running away, but he was carried by the pastor's friendly smile.
The pastor walked up to his side, clearly seeing John's small hands shaking.
"Are you John?"
John didn't answer, but looked at the pastor and nodded.
"Do you believe in God?" the pastor patted John on his head with dust.
"Yes, I do!" This time John told him loudly.
"So you believe in yourself?"
John looked at the pastor, without a word.
The pastor went on saying, "At the first sight of you, I find you're different from other kids because you have a good heart."
His face turning red, John said nervously, "In fact, I'm a thief." With that, he lowered his head.
The pastor didn't speak, but held John's dark small hands, slowly opened them and put them against his wrinkled face.
"Ah" Just at the same time, John shouted and was about to take out his dark small hands. Yet the pastor tightly held his small hands and spread them out in the sun.
"Do you see, John?"
"What?"
"You're cupping the sunshine in your hands."
John blankly looked at his hands: when did they become so beautiful?
"In God's eyes, all children are the same. When they are willing to spread out their hands to greet the sun, the sun will naturally shine on them. And you have two things more than they do. First is courage and the second is kindness." With that, the pastor led him into the church. It was the first time that John went into this sacred place, and at this moment he didn't feel inferior, but the unspeakable warmth.
On that morning greeting the sunshine, John found himself again, along with the confidence, satisfaction, happiness, dreams he had never had.
Twenty years have passed. Now the boy who ever tightly held the bread with his dirt hands has been the most famous cook in Philadelphia and made many popular dishes.
Every Sunday morning, he would personally send the bread he baked to the orphanage. Those children who greeted him with cheers were used to consciously spreading their palms before they got the bread.
Because they all knew when we are willing to spread out our hands to greet the sunshine, the sun will naturally shine on us.The method the writer uses to develop Paragraph is ______________
| A．presenting contrasts (对比) | B．showing causes （原因） |
| C．offering analyses | D．providing explanations |
Why didn't John go inside whenever he went to the church?
| A．He was frightened to be recognized by the pastor |
| B．He was not welcomed by those singing in the church. |
| C．He was sorry for his dirty clothes and identity as a thief. |
| D．He was left alone in the orphanage and nobody cared for him. |
Which of the following questions did John reply certainly?
| A．“Are you John?" | B．"Do you see, John?" |
| C．"So you believe in yourself?" | D．"Do you believe in God?" |
Which of the following can best describe the pastor's great effect on John?
| A．John became a famous cook. |
| B．John admitted his bad behavior. (行为) |
| C．John believed God to be real |
| D．John spread warmth to other orphans. |
According to the passage, the sunshine cupped in hands can bring ________
| A．cheers and confidence | B．dreams and imagination |
| C．courage and kindness | D．forgiveness and satisfaction |
I was in a terrible mood. Two of my friends ha
d gone to the movies the night before and hadn’t invited me. I was in my room thinking of ways to make them sorry when my father came in. “Want to go for a ride, today, Beck? It’s a beautiful day.”
“No! Leave me alone!” Those were the last words I said to him that morning.
My friends called and invited me to go to the mall with them a few hours later. I forgot to be mad at them and when I came home to find a note on the table. My mother put it where I would be sure to see it. “Dad has had an accident. Please meet us at Highland Park Hospital”.
When I reached the 
hosp
ital, my mother came out and told me my father’s injuries were extensive. “Your father told the driver to leave him alone and just call 911, thank God! If he had moved Daddy, there’s no telling what might have happened. A broken rib（肋骨）might have pierced（穿透）a lung...”
My mother may have said more, but I didn’t hear. I didn’t hear anything except those terrible words: Leave me alone. My dad said them to save himself from being hurt more. How much had I hurt him when I hurled those words at him earlier in the day?
It was several days later that he was finally able to have a conversation. I held his hand gently, afraid of hurting him.
“Daddy… I am so sorry…”
“It’s okay, sweetheart. I’ll be okay. ”
“No,” I said, “I mean about what I said to you that day. You know, that morning?”
My father could no more tell a lie than he could fly. He looked at me and said. “Sweetheart, I don’t remember anything about that day, not before, during or after the accident. I remember kissing you goodnight the night before, though. ”He managed a weak smile.
My English teacher once told me that words have immeasurable power. They can hurt or they can heal. And we all have the power to choose our words. I intend to do that very carefully from now on.The author was in a bad mood that morning because _______.
| A．his father had a terrible accident |
| B．his friends hadn’t invited him to the cinema |
| C．his father didn’t allow him to go out with his friends |
| D．he couldn’t drive to the mall with his friends |
Why did the author say sorry to his father in the hospital?
| A．Because he didn’t go along with his father. |
B．Because he failed to com e earlier after the accident. |
| C．Because he was rude to his father that morning. |
| D．Because he couldn’t look after his father in the hospital. |
The reason why the author’s father said he forgot everything about that day is that _______.
| A．he just wanted to comfort his son | B．he didn’t hear what his son said |
| C．he had a poor memory | D．he lost his memory after the accident |
What lesson did Beck learn from the matter?
| A．Don’t treat your parents badly. |
| B．Don’t be angry with friends at small things. |
| C．Don’t move the injured in an accident. |
| D．Don’t hurt others with rude words. |
John Milton was born in 1606. his father expected him to enter the church of England, but Milton wanted to be a poet. At twenty-nine Milton set off for a travel on the continent. He traveled in France, Switzerland and Italy, winning the friendship of many artists and scientists, including Galileo, the famous Italian scientist who suffered for his discovery in prison. In 1639, he was planning to go on this journey when the news reached him of the break between the king and Parliament(国会). Milton returned to England immediately, and put himself into the struggle against the king, for which he had long been prepared. During the Civil war, Milton worked as the spokesman of the revolution. By the beginning of 1652, Milton had become completely blind, yet he didn’t stop fighting. After the Restoration(复辟), his books were burnt, and he himself avoided being killed because of his blindness.
John Milton was not only a brave revolutionary but also a great poet. His famous poem Paradise Lost(失乐园) was an immediate success. But, for its publication (being published), Milton received only 18 pounds.
He died in 1671.Milton set off for a travel on the continent here “continent” means ________.
| A．Asia | B．Europe | C．America | D．Africa |
It was ______ who was put in prison in Italy.
| A．Milton | B．the king | C．Galileo | D．Milton’s father |
Milton would have been killed if ________________.
| A．he had been the spokesman of the revolution |
| B．his books hadn’t been burnt |
| C．he hadn’t written the poem Paradise Lost |
| D．he hadn’t been completely blind |
Which of the following sentences is TRUE?
| A．John Milton was an ordinary poet, who wasn’t interested in politics. |
| B．John Milton spent many years traveling around the world. |
| C．John Milton wrote the poem Paradise Lost, which was liked by the King. |
| D．John Milton was a fearless revolutionary and a famous poet. |
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