高中英语故事类阅读试题

I was walking along the main street of a small seaside town in the north of England looking for somewhere to make a phone call．My car had broken down outside the town and I wanted to contact the AA Company．Low grey clouds were gathering across the sky and there was a cold damp wind blowing off the sea which nearly threw me off my feet every time I crossed one of the side streets．It had rained in the night and water was dropping from the bare trees that lined the street．I was glad that I was wearing a thick coat．
There was no sign of a call box, nor was there anyone at that early hour whom I could ask．I had thought I might find a shop open selling the Sunday papers or a milkman doing his rounds, but the town was completely dead．The only living thing I saw was a thin frightened cat outside a small restaurant．
Then suddenly I found what I was looking for．There was a small post office, and almost hidden from sight in a dark narrow street．Next to it was the town’s only public call box, which badly needed a coat of paint．I hurried forward, but stopped in astonishment when I saw through the dirty glass that there was a man inside．He was fat, and was wearing a cheap blue plastic raincoat．I could not see his face and he didn’t raise his head at the sound of my footsteps．
Carefully, I remained standing a few feet away and lit a cigarette to wait for my turn．It was when I threw the dead match on the ground that I noticed something bright red trickling from under the box call door．
At what time was the story set?

A．An early winter morning．	B．A cold winter afternoon．
C．An early summer morning．	D．A windy summer afternoon．

Which of the following words best describe the writer’s impression of the town?

A．Cold and frightening．	B．Dirty and crowded．
C．Empty and dead．	D．Unusual and unpleasant．

The underlined word “trickling” in the last paragraph means _____．．

A．rushing out suddenly	B．shining brightly
C．flowing slowly in drops	D．appearing slowly

Why didn’t the man raise his head when the writer came near?

A．He was annoyed at being seen by the writer．

B．He was angry at being disturbed by the writer．

C．He was probably fast asleep．

D．He was probably murdered．

Oprah Winfrey, the American media queen, is undoubtedly one of the most successful women in the world. She’s the host and owner of The Oprah Winfrey Show, which continuingly wins high ratings, and the founder of Harpo Productions, which produces her television shows and movies.
Certainly Winfrey feels right these days. Early on, however, Winfrey seemed more like a candidate for welfare rolls than film roles. She stayed with her grandmother after birth and moved to Wisconsin to live with her mother at 6, and hence began the most difficult period in her life. They lived in the low-income community and her mother showed her less attention. Her classmates came from families with more money and she couldn’t participate with them in a lot of activities.
The young girl had held too much anger and pain inside and she rebelled. She repeatedly ran away from home and got into various troubles. During that time, she turned heavy smoker, became addicted to alcohol and drug and was sent to a juvenile detention home(青少年拘留所) at the age of 13.
Fed up, Oprah’s mother sent her to Tennessee to live with her father. To a large extent, this man saved Oprah’s life and helped pave the way for her success. She received a full scholarship to Tennessee State University where she majored in Speech and Performing Arts. After graduation, she landed a job as a news reader at a television station, where she did not do well at first. But she did not give up; instead, she worked harder. She put in long hours and prepared carefully before going on camera.
Her hard work paid off: she moved up swiftly to news reader and reporter in Baltimore and was offered her own talk show in 1977. From then on, her career began to take off.
Some people are handed money at birth and are nurtured into success; other people create their own success, and Oprah Winfrey definitely belongs to the latter. “There is no such thing as failure in my life,” she concluded, “Life is a marathon. I think the ones who survive in life do it by hammering at it one day at a time.” Well, by doing so, she won the game.
By mentioning “Winfrey seemed more like a candidate for welfare rolls than film roles” in Paragraph 2, the author indicates that ______.

A．she was interested in acting and applied for roles in many films, but failed.

B．she was more interested in working for charities than in films.

C．she lived a poor life and had to depend on the government for food.

D．the film companies wouldn’t offer her roles because she was too poor.

Which of the following is NOT the cause of her bad behaviors as a teenager?

A．Her mother had no time to take good care of her.

B．Her classmates’ families were very rich.

C．She couldn’t take part in activities with her classmates.

D．She had too much anger and pain inside.

Oprah Winfrey succeeded at last chiefly due to _______.

A．her hard childhood living with her grandmother.

B．her hard work and the spirit of not giving up.

C．her good performance in the juvenile detention home.

D．her major in Speech and Performing Arts in college.

Which of the following can best serve as the title of this passage?

A．Oprah Winfrey, from a problem girl to the American media queen.

B．Oprah Winfrey, from a news reader to a marathon winner.

C．Even famous people have a disgraceful past.

D．All that glitters is not gold.

In 1977, a dead author of detective stories saved the life of a 19-month-old baby in a most unusual way. The author was Agatha Christie, one of the most successful writers of detective stories in the world.
In June 1977, a baby girl became seriously ill in Qatar, near Saudi Arabia. Doctors were unable to __36__ the cause of her illness, so she __37__ to London and admitted to Hammersmith Hospital, where specialist help was __38_. She was then only half-conscious（半昏迷） and on the “Dangerously Ill” list. A team of doctors hurried to __39__ the baby only to discover that they, __40__, were puzzled by the very unusual symptoms. While they were discussing the baby’s case, a nurse asked to __41__ to them.
“Excuse me,” said nurse Marsha Maitland, “__42__ I think the baby is __43_ from thallium poisoning.”
“__44__ makes you think that?” Dr. Brown asked. “Thallium poisoning is extremely __45__.”
“A few days ago, I was reading a novel called A Pale Horse __46__ Agatha Christie,” Nurse Maitland explained. “In the book, somebody uses thallium poison, and __47__ the symptoms are __48__. They are exactly the same as the baby’s.”
“You’re very observant and you may be right,” another doctor said. “We’ll __49__ some tests and find out __50__ it’s thallium or not.”
The __51__ showed that the baby had __52__ been poisoned by thallium, a rare metal used in making optical（光学的） glass. __53__ they knew the cause of illness, the doctors were able to give the correct treatment. The baby soon __54__ and was sent back to Qatar. Inquiries（调查） showed that the poison __55__ from an insecticide（杀虫剂）used in Qatar.

A．describe B．diagnose C．discover D．discuss

A．flew B．sent C．went D．was flown

A．inexpensive B．important C．available D．impossible

A．examine B．see C．look after D．cure

A．too B．either C．often D．never

A．refer B．turn C．speak D．belong

A．and B．so C．as D．but

A．coming B．suffering C．tired D．dying

A．Who B．How C．What D．Which

A．rare B．serious C．clear D．dangerous

A．in B．on C．by D．about

A．all B．some of C．one of D．both

A．drawn B．broadcast C．announced D．described

A．make up B．carry out C．get through D．deal with

A．that B．how C．what D．whether

A．words B．tests C．examination D．book

A．indeed B．actually C．probably D．never

A．As long as B．As for as C．Once D．If

A．died B．got injured C．recovered D．got ill

A．must come B．should come C．might have come D．can’t have come

Zhang Lili, a 29-year-old middle school teacher at the No 19 middle school in the city of Jiamusi in Northeast China's Heilongjiang province was crossing the road just outside the school's gate when a school bus suddenly came rushing toward nearby students at 8:38 pm on May 8, 2012.
"There were three buses at the school gate ready to pick up students, but the one in the back suddenly crashed into the second bus and pushed it into the first one. There were several students standing between the first and the second buses and they were about to be crushed," said Liu Ye, a student of No. 19 middle school.
"We were waiting to board the bus when suddenly it began moving toward the teachers and students. Zhang Lili immediately pushed the students out of the way, but unfortunately she didn't escape. The bus crushed her legs. " added Liu.
Zhang Lili was sent to hospital at about 9 pm and she was critically injured and her blood pressure was low. The situation was quite serious when rushed to hospital.
After consulting specialists, the doctors decided that the only way to save her life was cut off both of her legs.
Upon learning about the accident, the deputy mayor of the city, Sun Zhe, asked the hospital to "save the young teacher regardless of the cost"  
"If necessary, we will invite more specialists from the capital city, even from whole nation," said Sun.
Fortunately, after 58 hours of emergency medical attention after being transferred to the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Zhang finally regained consciousness on May 15.
"But it cannot be ruled out that her condition may worsen, and the doctors are still working full out to save the heroic teacher," said Zhao Mingyan, ICU director at the hospital, where Zhang is now receiving treatment.
"Her courage moved all of our staff, and we will try our best to help the brave teacher in her future life. " said Wang Jianwei, the director of center.
The Ministry of Education has also named her "National Outstanding Teacher" and called on the country's educators to learn from her.
What does the underlined word “it” in the third paragraph refers to ________.

A．the bus in the back	B．the bus in the middle
C．the bus in the front	D．the third bus

What can be inferred from the remark of the deputy Mayor Sun Zhe?

A．Every possible means is being carried out to save the brave teacher.

B．It’s increasingly difficult to save the brave teacher.

C．The only way to save the brave teacher is to cut off her legs.

D．No more medical experts will be needed in the operation to save the brave teacher.

What does the underlined sentence in the ninth paragraph attempt to tell us?

A．The woman teacher’s condition will definitely get worse.

B．There is little possibility that the woman teacher’s condition will improve.

C．It is obvious that the woman teacher will recover shortly after.

D．It’s likely that the woman teacher will suffer from a worse medical condition.

Which of the following might be the best title for this passage?

A．National Outstanding Teacher	B．A Heroic Teacher
C．An Example of Top Teachers	D．An bus accident

A couple from Minneapolis decided to go to Florida for a long weekend to warm themselves up during one particularly icy cold winter. They planned to stay at the very same hotel where they spent their honeymoon 20 years ago. They both had jobs, so it was decided that the husband would fly to Florida on a Thursday, and his wife would follow him the next day. Upon arriving as planned, the husband checked into the hotel. There he decided to open his laptop and send his wife an e-mail back in Minneapolis. However, he accidentally left off one letter in her address and sent the e-mail without noticing his error.
In the same time: In Houston, a woman had just returned from her husband’s funeral(葬礼). He was a minister of many years who had been “called home to glory” following a heart attack. The woman checked her e-mail, expecting message from family and friends. Upon reading the first message, she fainted(昏厥)and fell to the floor. Her son rushed into the room, found his mother on the floor and saw the computer screen which read:
To: My Loving Wife
From: Your Departed Husband
Subject: I’ve arrived!
I’ve just arrived and have been checked in. I see that everything has been prepared for your arrival tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing you then. Hope your journey is as uneventful(平静)as mine was.
P.S. Sure is hot down here.
Why did the couple decide to go to Florida for weekend?

A．To visit their family and friends

B．To escape from the cold winter

C．To escape from their busy work

D．To attend a friend’s funeral

What mistake did the husband make after checking into the hotel?

A．He checked into a wrong hotel

B．He forget to bring the laptop

C．He misspelled her wife’s address

D．He forgot to mail his letter

The expression “called home to glory” probably suggests that the man had          .

A．gone back to his hometown

B．called his family to say hello

C．been awarded a prize

D．died and gone to heaven

How did the woman probably feel after reading the e-mail?

A．Pleased

B．Amazed

C．Frightened

D．Moved

Which of the following is true according to the text?

A．The woman’s husband died of a heart attack

B．The woman liked to chat with her friends by e-mail

C．The couple held their wedding in Florida 20 years ago.

D．His wife wouldn’t go to Florida for his error.

Apple Inc co-founder and former CEO Steve Jobs, counted among the  greatest American CEOs of his generation, died on Wednesday at the age of 56,  after a years-long and highly public battle with cancer. Mourners gathered outside his house in Palo Alto, California, and Apple stores around the world.                         
Steve Jobs made technology fun. As tech leaders, they're really happy if they have one hit in their life. Steve Jobs has the Apple II, the Mac, the iPod, the iPhone, the iPad and Pixar.
Steve Jobs was a college dropout. He was adopted by a machinist and his wife, an accountant. They supported his early interest in electronics. He and his friend Steve Wozniak started Apple Computer—now just called Apple—in 1976. They stayed at the company until 1985. That year, Steve Wozniak returned to college and Steve Jobs left in a dispute with the chief executive.
Mr. Jobs then formed his own company, called NeXT Computer. He rejoined Apple in 1997 after it bought NeXT, He helped remake Apple from a business that was in bad shape then to one of the most valuable companies in the world today. However, Steve Jobs stepped down as Apple's chief executive in August, 2011 because of his health. He died a day after the company released a new iPhone version that met with limited excitement. Steve left behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple.
President Obama said in a statement: by building one of the planet's most successful companies from his garage, Steve Jobs showed the spirit of American ingenuity (独创性). By making computers personal and putting the Internet in our pockets, he made the information revolution not only accessible but intuitive (直觉的) and fun.
The fact that he was able to redesign American commerce top to bottom and across is really astonishing. He probably will be considered an industrial giant on the scale of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford, so one of the greatest of all time. Steve Jobs not only revolutionized technology, he also revolutionized American business. Steve Jobs was remembered as a " great visionary and leader" and a marketing genius.
What does the underlined word "dispute" in Paragraph 3 probably mean?

A．Discussion.

B．Permission.

C．Experiment.

D．Argument.

According to Paragraph 2, the author wants to show that _____.

A．Steve Jobs made fun of modem inventions

B．Steve Jobs makes great contributions to the world

C．tech leaders will be happy when they have one hit in their life

D．Steve Jobs owns many companies in America

Which of the following statements about Steve Jobs is NOT TRUE?

A．Steve Jobs stepped down as Apple's chief executive because of poor health.

B．Steve Jobs and his friend built a company called Apple Computer in 1976.

C．Steve Jobs was remembered as the founder of Apple and the Internet

D．President Obama spoke highly of Steve Jobs for his achievements.

How long did Steve Jobs work for Apple?

A．9 years.

B．14 years.

C．23 years.

D．35 years

This passage is mainly about _____.

A．a brief introduction of Steve Jobs	B．the inventions of Steve Jobs
C．the childhood of Steve Jobs	D．the death of Steve Jobs

Mark and his brother Jason both were looking at the shining new computer enviously. Jason was determined not to go against their father’s wishes but Mark was more adventurous than his brother. He loved experimenting and his aim was to become a scientist like his father.
“Dad will be really mad if he finds out you’ve been playing with his new computer.” Jason said, “He told us not to touch it.”
“He won’t find out.” Mark said, “I’ll just have a quick look and shut it down.”
Mark had been scolded before for touching his father’s equipment. But his curiosity was difficult to control and this new computer really puzzled him.
“It was a strange-looking machine –one his dad had brought home from the laboratory where he worked. “It’s an experimental model,” his father had explained, “so don’t touch it under any circumstances.” But his warning only served to make Mark more curious. Without any further thought, Mark turned on the power switch. The computer burst into life and seconds later, the screen turned into colors, shifting and changing and then two big white words appeared in the center of the screen: “SPACE TRANSPORTER.”
“Yes!” Mark cried excitedly, “It’s a computer game. I knew it! Dad’s only been pretending to work. He’s really been playing games instead.” A new message appeared on the screen:
“ENTER NAMES
VOYAGER 1: …
VOYAGER 2: …”
Mark’s fingers flew across the keyboard as he typed in both of their names.
“INPUT ACCEPTED. START TRANSPORT PROGRAM. AUTO-RETRIEVE INITIATED（自动回收程序已启动）.”
The screen turned even brighter and a noise suddenly rose in volume.
“I think we’d better shut it off, Mark,” Jason yelled, reaching for the power switch. He was really frightened.
But his hand never reached the switch. A single beam of dazzling white light burst out of the computer screen, wrapping the boys in its glow (光芒), until they themselves seemed to be glowing. Then it died down just as suddenly as it had burst into life. And the boys were no longer there. On the screen, the letters changed.
“TRANSPORT SUCCESSFUL. DESTINATION: MARS. RETRIEVE DATE: 2025.”
Why did Mark touch the computer against his father’s warning?

A．He wanted to take a voyage.

B．He wanted to practice his skill

C．He was so much attracted by it.

D．He was eager to do an experiment.

Where did the boy’s father most likely work?

A．In an electronic factory.

B．In a computer company.

C．In a scientific research center.

D．In an information processing center.

Mark thought “SPACE TRANSPORTER” on the screen was the name of          .

A．a computer game	B．a company website
C．a software producer	D．an astronomy program

Why did Jason want to shut off the computer?

A．He was afraid of being scolded.

B．He didn’t like the loud noise and light.

C．He didn’t want to play games any more.

D．He was afraid something dangerous might happen.

What happened to the boys at the end of the story?

A．They were blown into the air.

B．They were sent to another planet.

C．They were hidden in the strong light.

D．They were carried away to another country

The Golden Compass is the first movie based on the Philip Pullman’s bestselling novel, His Dark Materials. It is a work of imagination that tells us about a young girl who travels to the far north to save her best friend. Along the way she meets strange creatures, like witches and so on. Finally , she saves not only her world, but also ours as well.
Lyra is a young girl among scholars in Oxford’s Jordan College. She spends most of her time with her friend Roger, a kitchen boy. Together, they share a life with no worries. However, when Lyra hears a conversation about a very tiny particle(颗粒), she is thrown into a dangerous adventure. This particle is said to unite different worlds, and is feared by many people who want to destroy it. At the same time , children began to disappear without a trace, including Lyra’s good friend, Roger. As Lyra starts this horrible struggle, and begins to search for Roger, she meets strange creatures both big and small, and bad people who are not what they seem to be. Gobblers(饕餮者) that kidnap(绑架)children appear in the most unexpected places. And a magical compass made of gold will answer any question if one is skilled enough to read it. In unbelievable danger, Lyra doesn’t know that she is doomed to win, or to lose, this battle…
With the movie The Lord of the Rings making New Line cinema over a billion dollars, it’s easy to see why they got the rights to Pullman’s His Dark Materials quickly. The books, sold more than nine million copies in the world, have a different idea from the Harry Potter series. Pullman’s imagination may look suitable for children, but it works far better for adults.
In the film The Golden Compass, Lyra______.

A．is a student in Oxford’s Jordan College

B．is a kitchen boy

C．hears a conversation of Roger’s

D．meets many strange creatures

The film is named The Golden Compass probably because______.

A．the compass is useful enough to help Lyra

B．only skilled people can read the compass

C．the compass which is made of gold can answer any question

D．the compass throughout the whole story is a clue

From the passage we can conclude that______.

A．New Line Cinema won Pullman’s trust through its achievement

B．The Lord of the Rings is also based on one of Pullman’s novels

C．His Dark Materials is similar to the Harry Potter series

D．New Line Cinema made over a billion dollars through the Harry Potter series

Which group of people will like the film The Golden Compass the best according to the passage?

A．Children

B．Junior students

C．Adults

D．Only old people

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.
However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighborhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families that he is considered the rightful property of someone or other of their daughters.
“My dear Mr. Bennet,” said his lady to him one day. “have you heard that Netherfield Park is let at last?” Mr. Bennet replied that he had not.
“But it is, ” returned she, “for Mrs. Long has just been here, and she told me all about it.”
Mr. Bennet made no answer.
“Do you not want to know who has taken it?” cried his wife impatiently.
“You want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it.”
This was invitation enough.
“Why, my dear, you must know, Mrs. Long says that Netherfield is taken by a young man of large fortune from the north of England; that he came down on Monday in a chaise to see the place, and was so much delighted with it, that he agreed with Mr. Morris immediately; that he is to take possession before Michaelmas, and some of his servants are to be in the house by the end of next week.”
“What is his name?”
“Bingley.”
“Is he married or single?”
“Oh! Single, my dear, to be sure! A single man of large fortune; four or five thousand a year. What a fine thing for our girls!”
How so? How can it affect them?
“My dear Mr. Bennet,” replied his wife, “how can you be so tiresome! You must know that I am thinking of his marrying one of them.”
“Is that his design in settling here?”
“Design! Nonsense, how can you talk so! But it is very likely that he may fall in love with one of them, and therefore you must visit him as soon as he comes.”
“I see no occasion for that. You and the girls may go, or you may send them by themselves, which perhaps will be still better, for as you are as beautiful as any of them. Mr. Bingley may like you the best of the party. ”
The sentence “… a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife” means that ______.

A．a single man without money needn’t a wife

B．women want to get married to financial stable men

C．a single man who is financially stable needs a wife

D．once man becomes rich, he must want to get a wife

From the conversation between the Bennets, we can conclude that Mrs. Bennet _______.

A．wanted to persuade her husband to visit the young man

B．wanted to get an invitation from their new neighbor to a party

C．asked for her husband’s permission to visit the new neighbor

D．wanted to tell her husband something about their new neighbor

At the end of the passage, Mr. Bennet sounded _________ toward his wife’s proposal.

A．grateful

B．indifferent

C．delighted

D．interested

Strange it may sound, this is a true story about a lesson of honesty happening between a lucky thief and a worthy professor.
Once a thief won a lottery ticket but left it at his crime(犯罪) scene when he stole a suitcase from a professor. To his great surprise, his victim, who picked up the ticket and took the prize money of ￡25 000, managed to get in touch with him in order to return him the case. The robbery took place when John Smith, a math professor was changing a tyre on the motorway. The thief happened to pass by. He appeared to be a warm-hearted guy and stopped “to help”. When the professor found his suitcase in the car missing, the thief had driven off as fast as he could. The professor picked up the dropped ticket on the floor and put it in his pocket before driving home.
John Smith didn’t realize it was a winner until he knew the lottery results on TV. He got the prize money and began a battle with himself silently in his heart. At last，he decided not to keep the money although he just had been robbed of his suitcase by the owner of the ticket. He set out to advertise in newspapers and on radio for finding the owner, “ Don’t be surprised that I’m trying to find the man who robbed me in order to returned him the ￡25 000—a lottery win. Please meet me without telling me your real name if you don’t want to. ”.
Later John received tens of hundreds of calls from people around the country trying to trick him into handing them the cash. But he didn’t arrange to meet the right person in the park until he recognized the voice. The robber, was moved into tears when he returned the suitcase. “Why didn’t you keep the money？”he asked, not believing what was happening.  The honest professor replied simply, “Because it’s not mine.” With these words, he walked off，spurningthe thief’s offer of a reward.
The underlined sentence “Then he began a battle with himself silently.” suggested that    .

A．he made an immediate decision on knowing the lottery results

B．he silently decided to punish the robber by keeping the ticket

C．he realized that money played an important role as honesty .

D．he hesitated about how to deal with the ticket for some time

Hundreds of people phoned the professor because they _______.

A．lost their lottery ticket

B．hoped to take the money

C．knew who the robber was

D．wanted to make fun of him

The underlined word “spurning” in the last sentence is similar to______  .

A．forgetting	B．accepting
C．refusing	D．making

Which of the following can be used as the best title for the passage?

A．A Magical Lottery

B．A Thief’s Lucky Day

C．A Stubborn Professor

D．A Reward of Honesty

When I was a child, our dining room had two kinds of chairs—two large ones with arm rests and four small ones without. The larger ones stood at the ends of the table, the smaller ones on the sides. Mom and Dad sat in the big chairs, except when one of us was away; then Mom would sit in one of the smaller chairs. Dad always sat at the end, at the “head” of the table. Sitting where he did, Dad was framed by the window through which the yard could be seen with its trees and grass. His chair was not just a place for him at the table; it was a place in which he was situated against the yard and trees. It was the holy (神圣的) and protected place that was his, and ours through him.
After Dad retired, he and Mom moved out into a small flat. When they came to visit me at their old house. Dad still sat at the end of the table though the table was no longer his but mine. Only with my marriage to Barbara, did I hear a voice questioning the arrangement. She requested, gently but firmly, that I sit at the head of the table in our home. I realized then that I was head of the family, but I also felt unwilling to introduce such a change. How would I feel sitting in that “head” place in my Dad’s presence? And how would he handle it? I was to find out on the occasion of our youngest child’s first birthday.
Mom and Dad arrived for lunch, and went into the dining room. Dad moved toward his usual seat in front of the window. Before he could get around the side of the table, I took a deep breath and said, “Dad, this is going to be your place, next to Mom, on the side.” He stopped, looked at me and then sat down. I felt sad, and angry at Barbara for pushing me to do this. It would have been easy to say, “My mistake, Dad. Sit where you always sit.” But I didn’t.
When he and Mom were seated, Barbara and I took our places. I don’t know how Dad felt. I do know that, though removed from his usual place, he continued to share his best self with us, telling stories of his childhood and youth to the delight of his grandchildren. As I served the food, our lives experienced a change, which we continue to live with.
It wasn’t easy, but I sense that there is also something good in the change which has occurred. I am beginning to learn that “honoring one’s father” is more than the question of which place to occupy at the dining table. It also means listening, wherever we sit and whatever positions we own, to the stories Dad longs to tell. We may then, during these magical moments, even be able to forget about whose chair is whose.
Where did the writer’s mother sit when one of the children was away?

A．She didn’t change her chair.

B．She moved her own chair next Dad’s.

C．She moved to an empty chair on the side.

D．She sat opposite to Dad.

How did the writer feel when he told his father to sit on the side?

A．He didn’t feel bad because his father was going to sit there anyway.

B．He felt happy at having carried out the difficult task.

C．He was thoroughly satisfied with the new seating arrangement.

D．He regretted what he had done and wanted to blame his wife.

What happened during the meal after the family had all taken their new seats?

A．The writer’s children removed their grandfather from his usual place.

B．The writer’s father didn’t appear to mind where he sat.

C．The writer’s father shared his favorite dishes with the grandchildren.

D．They became tense and nervous about their future as a family.

What did the writer learn about “honoring one’s father”?

A．Fathers always long to tell stories about their early years.

B．Providing the fight chair is the only way to honor one’s father.

C．Respect for one’s father doesn’t depend only on where he sits.

D．The family should dine together at the same table as often as possible.

I am usually in a bad mood after a long day at work, but on this particular Friday afternoon I was in a high mood. I planned to have a good meal and watch Bridget Jones’s Diary.
My local supermarket is always busy. The first parking space I spotted was convenient, but I’d noticed a woman in an old car circling for a while. I let her have it. On the edge of the car park I backed into the next available spot — it was a tight fit.
In record time I’d made my way through the supermarket and was back in the fresh air. In a rush of good spirits, I emptied my purse change into the hands of a homeless man and helped a struggling woman reverse (倒车) into a parking space.
Just as I spotted my car, I saw the woman I’d let have my car spot earlier. I smiled and wished her a pleasant day.
As I got back into my car, I spotted the same lady looking in at me. “ Hello,” she said, hesitantly (犹豫地). “ This might sound crazy but I was on my way to drop some of my mother’s things off at the charity bins.” I looked quickly at the orange bins in the corner of the parking lot, confused. “ I saw you helping those people, and you seemed so happy. My mom had a dress just like that.”
She looked at me meaningfully. I smiled at her in encouragement, hoping she wouldn’t notice that the dress she was admiring was now full of holes. “ I was going to give these away, but you are just so much like her.” She passed a box in through the window. Shocked, unthinking, I took it automatically (无意识地). “ I think she would like you to have it.” She smiled and walked away.
After a pause, I opened the box. Inside was a beautiful gold necklace. It was the nicest gift I’d ever received, and it was from a complete stranger.
Later, I thought back on the day. I didn’t feel the usual sense of exhaustion. The necklace was around my neck, a warm reminder of human kindness.

This Friday afternoon, the author ________.

A．watched a new movie

B．had trouble parking her car

C．was in the mood to help others

D．spent a long time in the supermarket

Which of the following is TRUE about the author?

A．She was not very wealthy actually.

B．She considered her dress beautiful.

C．She had met the lady’s mum.

D．She was living on charity.

What does the author mainly intend to tell us?

A．Success leads to happiness.

B．Good is rewarded with good.

C．Two heads are better than one.

D．A friend in need is a friend indeed.

Barack Obama was born on August 4, 1961 in Honolulu, Hawaii. His father came to America from Kenya, which is a country in Africa. His parents, Ann and Barack, met when they were students at the University of Hawaii. Since Barack had the same name as his father, young Barack went by the nickname “Barry”.
In 1979, after he finished high school, Barry went to Occidental College in Los Angeles, California. There, he started to learn about his African roots and decided to use his African name, Barack. After two years in L.A., he went to Columbia University in New York City to study politics.
After college, he moved to Chicago, Illinois, where he worked to help poor people in his city. He traveled to Africa to meet his grandmother and cousins for the first time. He went back many times over the years to visit with his family and learn about where he came from. At work, he met a lawyer named Michelle Robinson. They worked together in a big law firm. Then he left Chicago to go to Harvard Law School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He did very well in law school.
After he was done with school, Barack moved back to Chicago and in 1992 he married Michelle. He worked as a lawyer, devoted to helping poor people for free who had been treated unfairly. He worked hard to get the people he helped to vote(投票).
He made many people believe that their votes were important, and helped them feel like they could make a difference.
Barack Obama’s father was probably born in _________.

A．Hawaii	B． Illinois
C．Kenya	D．California

Which of the following is the right order according to the text?
①Getting married to Michelle.
②Travelling to Africa to meet his grandmother
③Going to Harvard Law School
④Going to Columbia University
⑤Working in a big law firm.

A．④③②⑤①	B．④②⑤③①
C．③④①⑤②	D．②①⑤④③

How did Obama get people to vote?

A．By cheating them to do so.

B．By making a difference to people.

C．By helping poor people who treat others unfairly.

D．By showing them the importance of their votes.

According to the text, which of the following words can best describe Barack Obama?

A．Kind-hearted	B．Humorous
C．Polite	D．Brave

President Barack Obama has complained about the loss of privacy that comes with being leader of the United States, regretting the loss of simple pleasures such as a long walk or a trip to the car wash or supermarket．
“I just miss -- I miss being anonymous,” he said. “I miss Saturday morning, rolling out of bed, not shaving, getting into my car with my girls, driving to the supermarket, squeezing the fruit, getting my car washed, taking walks. I can't take a walk.”
His dream, he said, was to “go through Central Park and watch folks passing by…spend the day watching people -- I miss that”.
Faced with angry criticism for playing more golf than most previous occupants of the White House, he explained that the sport was simply the best way of getting away from it all. “It's the only excuse I have to get outside for four hours.” he told Hearst magazines．
Though he said he enjoyed his life in the White House, he felt disappointed with some of the ways of Washington, which he has failed in his pledge (誓言) to change, such as the "kabuki dance" among political parties before serious policy discussions begin． His comments may be seen as vindication (证实) by critics who have accused him of appearing too detached (漠然), and being slow to engage in vital issues such as Libya and the near shutdown of the US government last week．
Since arriving at the White House in January 2009, Mr Obama has already racked up 60 rounds of golf in office, more than George W Bush did in his eight years．In terms of ability, Golf Digest magazine has ranked Mr Obama eighth out of the 18 presidents who played the game since it became established in the early 20th century．
What do the second paragraph and the third paragraph mainly tell us?

A．Obama likes living a busy life．

B．Obama used to spend most of his time with his family．

C．Obama wishes to enjoy simple pleasures．

D．He used to wash his car himself．

According to Obama, he plays golf to       .

A．release his pressure

B．keep fit

C．balance his work

D．show his ability

We can infer from the passage that Obama is         kabuki dance．

A．curious about	B．interested in
C．content with	D．tired of

Which of the following statements is from the critics?

A．The president lost lots of privacy, but he loves the life in the White House.

B．There are always unnecessary procedures among political parties．

C．The president seems to be indifferent towards some really important issues．

D．The president is really a great golf player．

What is the passage mainly about?

A．Obama's favorite pastime．

B．Obama’s complaints about lack of privacy as president．

C．The public's criticism of Obama．

D．Obama's regrets for being the US president．

When Juliet was a child, she often went to the city park and played with her friends. On a sunny morning, when Juliet came to the park with her mum, she looked around and felt very unhappy.
“What’s the matter, dear?” asked her mum.
Juliet replied, “Mum, there’s so much trash on the ground.”
Juliet’s mum looked around. There was paper, boxes and glass bottles everywhere.
“What can we do?” asked Juliet.
“I’m sure you will think of something,” said her mum.
As soon as Juliet and her mum went home, Juliet painted a picture of the park and wrote a sign in large black letters at the top of the picture. The sign read “PLEASE KEEP OUR PARK CLEAN”. Later, she took plenty of bags and went back to the park with her mum. Juliet put up her picture on a big trash can (垃圾桶).
“Will you help me pick up the trash, Mum?” Juliet said as she handed her mum a bag.
“I sure will,” replied her mum.
The children at the park ran over to see what was going on. Juliet handed them each a bag. “Let’s clean this place up,” said Juliet. Then they began to pick up the trash, talking and laughing. Soon all the bags were full.
“We need to come back another day. There’s still some trash on the ground, but the park looks much better,” said Juliet.
Her mum said, “So it does. I knew you would think of a way to help.”
Why was Juliet sad?

A．Because the weather was bad.

B．Because she couldn’t find her mum.

C．Because her friends were not at the park.

D．Because there was too much trash at the park.

Juliet put up the picture to ______.

A．show off her painting skills

B．give her mum a big surprise

C．encourage people to keep the park clean

D．show people how beautiful the park was

From the underlined sentence, we can learn that Juliet’s mum ______.

A．was proud of Juliet

B．was angry with Juliet

C．thought Juliet was lazy

D．thought Juliet was difficult

Which of the following is TRUE about the children?

A．They laughed at Juliet.

B．They had an awful and tiring day.

C．They bought some bags from Juliet.

D．They joined Juliet in picking up the trash.

What’s the topic of the passage?

A．A cleanup story.

B．Juliet and her mum.

C．A beautiful park.

D．How to protect the environment.