In the year after my mother left us, my father was 42 and he knew that he wasn’t going to make it to 43. He wrote a letter to me and hoped that something in it would help me for the rest of my life.
Since the day I was 12 and first read his letter, some of his words have lived in my heart. One part always stands out. “Right now, you are pretending to be a time killer. But I know that one day, you will do something great that will set you among the very best.” Knowing that my dad believed in me gave me permission to believe in myself. “You will do something great.” He didn’t know what I would be, and neither did I, but at times in my life when I’ve felt proud of myself, I remember his words and wish he were here so I could ask, “Is this what you were talking about , Dad ? Should I keep going?”
A long way from 12 now, I realize he would have been proud when I made any progress. Lately, though, I’ve come to believe he would want me to move on to what comes next: to be proud of , and believe in somebody else. It’s time to start writing my own letters to my children. Our children look to us with the same unanswered question we had. Our kids don’t hold back because they’re afraid to fail. They’re only afraid of failing us. They don’t worry about being disappointed. Their fear ---- as mine was until my father’s letter---- is of being a disappointment.
Give your children permission to succeed. They’re waiting for you to believe in them. I always knew my parents loved me. But trust me: That belief will be more complete , that love will be more real, and their belief in themselves will be greater if you write the words on their hearts ：“Don’t worry; you’ll do something great .”Not having that blessing from their parents may be the only thing holding them back.
小題1:We learn from the text that the author__________.

A．lost his father when he was young

B．worked hard before he read his father’s letter

C．a(chǎn)sked his father’s permission to believe in himself

D．knew exactly what great thing his father wanted him to do

小題2:What does the author tell us in the 3rd paragraph?           

A．Children need their parents’ letters.

B．Children are afraid to be disappointed.

C．His children’s fear of failure held them back.

D．His father’s letter removed his fear of failing his parents.

小題3:Which of the following is true of the author?

A．He got no access to success.

B．He wrote back to his father at 12.

C．He was sure his parents loved him.

D．He once asked his father about the letter.

小題4:The main purpose of the text is to        .

A．describe children’s thinking

B．a(chǎn)nswer some questions children have

C．stress the importance of communication

D．a(chǎn)dvise parents to encourage their children

Florence Nightingale was born in a rich family. When she was young she took lessons in music and drawing, and read great books. She also traveled a great deal with her mother and father. 
As a child she felt that visiting sick people was both a duty and a pleasure. She enjoyed helping them. 
At last mind was made up. “I’m going to be a nurse,” she decided. 
“Nursing isn’t the right work for a lady,” her father told her. 
“Then I will make it so,” she smiled. And she went to learn nursing in Germany and France. When she returned to England, Florence started a nursing home for home. During the Crimean War in 1854 she went with a group of thirty eight nurses to the front hospitals. What they saw there was terrible. Dirt and death were everywhere to be seen — and smelled. The officer there did not want any woman to tell him how to run a hospital, either. But the brave nurse went to work. 
Florence used her own money and some from friends to buy clothes, beds, medicine and food for the men. Her only pay was in smiles from the lips of dying soldiers. But they were more than enough for this kind woman. 
After she returned to England, she was honored for her services by Queen Victoria. But Florence said that her work had just begun. She raised money to build the Nightingale Home for Nurses in London. She also wrote a book on public health, which was printed in several countries. 
Florence Nightingale died at the age of ninety, still trying to serve others through her work as a nurse. Indeed, it is because of her that we honor nurses today. 
小題1:When she was a child, Florence ____ .

A．loved to travel very much

B．knew what her duty in life was

C．loved to help the sick people

D．was most interested in music and drawing

小題2:What made Florence make up her mind to become a nurse？

A．Her father’s support.

B．Her desire to help the sick.

C．Her education in Germany and France.

D．Her knowledge from reading great books.

小題3:During the Crimean War in 1854, Florence served in the front hospital where ____ . 

A．she earned a little money

B．work was very difficult

C．few soldiers died because of her work

D．she didn’t have enough food or clothes

小題4:The passage can best be described as ____ .

A．the life story of a famous woman

B．a(chǎn) description of the nursing work

C．a(chǎn)n example of successful education

D．the history of nursing in England

Mr. Scott has worked at a police station since he left army five years ago. He’s brave and has already caught many thieves. He was promoted (提升) to the rank of officer last month. Now he works harder.
It was Mrs. Scott’s birthday yesterday. The woman thought her husband was very busy, and she decided to hold a small party only with her husband. Mr. Scott agreed with her and they didn’t invite any friends of theirs to the party. At noon he didn’t go home for lunch and went to a shop. There he bought an expensive diamond necklace for his wife. He hoped to put it on her neck with his own hands at the party. To his sorrow, a rich woman’s house was broken into and some jewelry was stolen, and at once he was sent there to solve the case (案件)，when he came back to his office, it was late at night. He was tired and hungry. He brought out the necklace and was going to leave when he was asked to answer a telephone. Several minutes later when he came into his office, he found the necklace was gone, and he saw the case (盒子) only on his table. He became very angry and called all the policemen in and told them about it. But nobody admitted having stolen the necklace.
“I’ll give you a chance.” Said Mr. Scott, “ All the lights will be turned off. The man who took the necklace away will be able to put the necklace into the case in the dark.”
A few minutes later, Mr. Scott turned on the lights again. To his surprise, the case was also stolen.
小題1:Mr. Scott was promoted because _______.

A．he had been in the army.

B．he was young.

C．he had worked there for five years.

D．he did his duty better than his workmates.

小題2:Having read the story, we can know ______.

A．Mr. and Mrs. Scott loved each other.

B．the necklace was the most expensive in the town.

C．The Scotts had a few friends there.

D．Mr. Scott was the richest at the police station.

小題3:At last, _________

A．Mr. Scott knew who had stolen the necklace.

B．Mr. Scott lost both the necklace and the case.

C．the thief put the necklace back into the case.

D．Mr. Scott caught the thief in his office.

Some years ago when I was in my first year in college, I heard Salome Bey sing for the first time. The moment was exciting. Salome’s   21 filled the room and brought the theater to life. I was so   22  that I decided to write an article about her.
I   23  Salome Bey, telling her I was from Essence magazine, and that I wanted to meet her to talk about her career. She   24  and told me to come to her studio next Tuesday. When I hung up, I was scared out of my mind. I   25  I was lying. I was not a writer at all and hadn’t even written a grocery list.
I interviewed Salome Bey the next Tuesday. I sat there   26 , taking notes and asking questions that all began with, “Can you tell me…” I soon realized that   27  Salome Bey was one thing, but writing a story for a national magazine was just impossible. The   28  was almost unbearable. I struggled for days   29  draft after draft. Finally I put my manuscript (手稿) into a large envelope and dropped it into a mailbox.
It didn’t take long. My manuscript   30 . How stupid of me! I thought. How could I   31  in a world of professional writers? Knowing I couldn’t   32  the rejection letter, I threw the unopened envelope into a drawer.
Five years later, I was moving to California. While   33  my apartment, I came across the unopened envelope. This time I opened it and read the editor’s letter in   34  :
Ms Profit,
Your story on Salome Bey is fantastic. Yet we need some   35  materials. Please add those and return the article immediately. We would like to   36  your story soon.
Shocked, it took me a long time to   37 . Fear of rejection cost me ly. I lost at least five hundred dollars and having my article appear in a major magazine. More importantly, I lost years of   38  writing. Today, I have become a full – time writer. Looking back on this   39 , I learned a very important lesson: You can’t   40  to doubt yourself.

小題1:	A．joy B．voice C．speech D．smile

小題2:	A．proud B．a(chǎn)ctive C．satisfied D．moved

小題3:	A．visited B．emailed C．phoned D．interviewed

小題4:	A．a(chǎn)greed B．refused C．hesitated D．paused

小題5:	A．replied B．discovered C．explained D．knew

小題6:	A．seriously B．patiently C．nervously D．quietly

小題7:	A．blaming B．fooling C．inviting D．urging

小題8:	A．hardship B．failure C．comment D．pressure

小題9:	A．with B．by C．on D．in

小題10:

A．disappeared B．returned C．spread D．improved

小題11:

A．compare B．struggle C．survive D．compete

小題12:

A．ignore B．deliver C．face D．receive

小題13:

A．decorating B．repairing C．cleaning D．leaving

小題14:

A．disbelief B．a(chǎn)nxiety C．horror D．trouble

小題15:

A．subjective B．relevant C．private D．reliable

小題16:

A．broadcast B．create C．publish D．a(chǎn)ssess

小題17:

A．recover B．prepare C．escape D．concentrate

小題18:

A．energetic B．endless C．typical D．enjoyable

小題19:

A．experience B．success C．benefit D．a(chǎn)ccident

小題20:

A．a(chǎn)ttempt B．a(chǎn)fford C．expect D．pretend

Ginny Ruffner is one of the best-known glass artists in the United States. Her one-of-a-kind pieces are colorful, detailed and often humorous. Over the years, she became famous for a method called lamp working, also known as flame working. It involves using a torch to melt and shape the glass instead of blowing on it.
Ginny Ruffner almost died in a three-car accident in 1991. No one thought the Seattle-based artist would ever walk or talk again. An award-winning(優(yōu)等的) film documentary explores that period of her life. "It's scary when you can't talk, you can't do... all your life." said Ruffner.
Ms. Ruffner was in a coma(昏迷) for five weeks and a wheelchair for five years. But she overcame her injuries. And although she still has difficulty walking and talking, she has willed herself back to work. Now, she has a team that helps bring her dream to life.
Her team recently finished an eight point five meter-high flowerpot made of steel and aluminum. It is now in downtown Seattle. Ms. Ruffner was recently honored in Washington, DC.  The Renwick Gallery presented a special showing of the film, "A Not So Still Life, the Ginny Ruffner Story."
Ms. Ruffner says “it has been a long battle, but the hardest part has not been the physical problems. I hate being taken for granted, being ignored. The way I talk, people assume that I'm either really old, or kind of retarded(智力遲鈍的), and that is so frustrating."
But she is firm. She says "Fortunately I've done a lot of stuff in my life, so I know that the best thing is to be open to the mystery, who knows what great things will happen. I'm sure they're many more to come."
Ginny Ruffner's art can be seen in more than forty museums around the world. Her work and her life continue to motivate people of all ages.
小題1:Within five years after a car accident, Ginny Ruffner _____.

A．was unconscious of everything

B．had trouble walking and talking

C．got over injuries completely

D．went back to her work

小題2:From this passage we can learn _____.

A．Ginny Ruffner finished an eight point five meter-high flowerpot made of steel and aluminum himself

B．The Renwick Gallery made him a the film documentary , "A Not So Still Life, the Ginny Ruffner Story."

C．Ginny Ruffner's art is shown in more than forty museums in the United States

D．Ginny Ruffner’s story has encouraged people to do what they want to

小題3:What was the most difficult to accept for Ginny Ruffner?

A．The physical disabilities

B．Being considered old andstupidity

C．Being looked down upon

D．Being mistaken as a useless man

小題4:The best title of this passage is _____.

A． A New Exhibit of Bright Life

B．The Life of a Glass Artist

C． A New product of a glass artist

D．The Introduction of a Great Glass Artist

小題5:From this passage we can know Ginny Ruffner is _____.

A．determined and optimistic

B．a(chǎn)mbitious and stubborn

C．hopeful and energetic

D．devoted and active

By my third day in the hospital, I realized Tom didn’t visit. I couldn’t understand  36 my best friend wouldn’t come to see me. Struggling against the   37 , I phoned his __38 . His mother answered, and when I asked for Tom, she got   39  . “He’s not here right now,” she said. I thought it was  40 that she didn’t tell me where he was or  41  to have him call me. But I was so weak, I just let it  42 . I found out later that Tom’s mother called my parents right after we rang   43 . My phone call really made her   44 , and she   45 they talk to me. Later that night, my mom   46 . Did I remember drinking? Did I remember in a car？I had   47  what she was talking about, so she finally told me the news: I’d hit a tree. Tom, in the   48  seat, was thrown from the car and killed instantly. The only reason I’d lived was because of my   49 .
My first   50  was of shock. I’d been drink-driving? Hit a tree? Killed Tom? I felt like the   51  person in the world. Even after I was able to   52 several weeks later, I didn’t want to eat, I didn’t want to talk. I just   53  at the wall in my  54  and cried. The only person I wanted to see was Tom. I didn’t feel like   55  with any of my old friends.

小題1:	A．if B．whether C．how D．why

小題2:	A．pain B．doctor C．nurse D．wound

小題3:	A．company B．office C．school D．house

小題4:	A．sad B．quiet C．calm D．excited

小題5:	A．unfair B．wrong C．strange D．unnecessary

小題6:	A．offer B．a(chǎn)llow C．permit D．refuse

小題7:	A．down B．a(chǎn)lone C．be D．go

小題8:	A．off B．up C．out D．back

小題9:	A．disappointed B．shocked C．a(chǎn)nxious D．excited

小題10:

A．hoped B．wished C．insisted D．ordered

小題11:

A．went by B．came by C．called back D．passed by

小題12:

A．understood B．believed C．no idea D．wondered

小題13:

A．passenger B．drive C．front D．spare

小題14:

A．doctor B．friend C．luck D．seat-belt

小題15:

A．view B．reaction C．a(chǎn)ction D．idea

小題16:

A．luckiest B．happiest C．worst D．most lonely

小題17:

A．stand up B．get on C．go home D．eat out

小題18:

A．looked B．stared C．glanced D．glared

小題19:

A．sickroom B．office C．dormitory D．bedroom

小題20:

A．drying out B．taking out C．setting out D．hanging out

I take the train to work every morning from a train station near my house. I can get to the station quite  _36__ because there’s a short cut（捷徑）to the station. But in the summer, it can get quite smelly because of all the   37. So I always try to   38   through it. Today I was trying to do so as usual __39__ something made me stop for a moment. I saw the most beautiful __40__ by an old woman walking in front of me with the help of a white __41__.
She was short and   42   and had white hair. She was walking __43__ as each step took some effort. I hadn’t specially noticed her   44 , until she stopped near a rubbish bin（垃圾箱）.
She slowly placed her walking stick ___45__ the rubbish bin. Then she leaned （斜倚著） on it with her right hand. She bent down and _46__ the rubbish. She clearly found it  _47___ and it took her a while. She _48__ some rubbish with her left hand and slowly straightened herself up again. All the while she used the rubbish bin to __49   herself. She threw the rubbish inside the bin and then   50  walking. It all took her great effort.
There’s no much rubbish and no one ever does ___51__ about it. I was moved to _52__ this old woman make such a great effort to keep even a small part of it __53__! I haven’t been able to __54__ thinking about that all day.
I want to follow her example. I’ve decided to pick up rubbish of the __55__ if I meet from now on. I hope people will do the same as I do.

小題1:	A．hard B．early C．easily D．late

小題2:	A．rubbish B．boxes C．bottles D．paper

小題3:	A．walk B．pass C．go D．rush

小題4:	A．so B．therefore C．when D．because

小題5:	A．back B．a(chǎn)ct C．mark D．color

小題6:	A．bike B．stick C．dog D．umbrella

小題7:	A．weak B．rich C．clever D．sad

小題8:	A．quickly B．happily C．a(chǎn)ngrily D．slowly

小題9:	A．a(chǎn)t midnight B．a(chǎn)t dusk C．a(chǎn)t last D．a(chǎn)t first

小題10:

A．in B．a(chǎn)round C．a(chǎn)gainst D．under

小題11:

A．searched for B．threw away C．reached for D．looked for

小題12:

A．unable B．difficult C．different D．impossible

小題13:

A．picked up B．dropped down C．put in D．lifted up

小題14:

A．warm B．help C．support D．hide

小題15:

A．continued B．started C．enjoyed D．remembered

小題16:

A．something B．a(chǎn)nything C．everything D．nothing

小題17:

A．feel B．see C．have D．let

小題18:

A．busy B．beautiful C．dirty D．clean

小題19:

A．keep B．stop C．mind D．regret

小題20:

A．wall B．desk C．ground D．classroom

On Sunday while I was having my own Father’s Day celebration, I thought about my dad a lot. By the time I called to tell him that I loved him, he had already gone to bed. So I wrote the following to show what my dad means to me.
About 28 years ago, my dad was a used car salesman. Every Thursday night, he would head off to Shreveport, LA for the auction（拍賣會）. Most of the time, I drove a car over there for him so he could sell it there.
One day, I was riding with my dad to Shreveport for the auction when he found a hitchhiker（搭車者）with a backpack. As soon as dad saw him, he pulled the car over and offered him a ride. Dad asked him his name and continued to talk to him about all sorts of things. I can’t recall why but he told dad a lot of terrible things that had occurred to him. I sat in the back seat and watched the scene with amazement. I could see that the hitchhiker changed his attitude as he could tell someone who was really listening to him.
We drove another forty-five minutes before we had to exit the interstate（州際公路）. We pulled over and dad told him to keep his head up and things would start looking up for him soon. He reached into his pocket and handed the hitchhiker a twenty-dollar bill and then a the-dollar bill.
We drove on and my dad did not say a single thing. I was still completely amazed by what I just witnessed. I was always told everyone to never pick up a hitchhiker and yet my dad did it every single time he saw one. I’m sure that it made that poor man’s day, probably a month to follow.
While reflecting upon that story, I learned a lot about my dad and life. I learned that if you come from a place of service or compassion, you can change people’s lives. Just one single kind act can change someone’s life. It never occurred to my dad about not stopping to help him.
This is the type of person my dad is. Thank you for setting such high standards for me to follow.
Dad, I love you. Happy Father’s Day!
小題1:The author and his dad met a hitchhiker（搭車者）_______.

A．when they were just warned not to pick up a stranger

B．on their way to Shreveport to sell a car

C．on their way to the west for a trip

D．when their car was running out of gas

小題2:What do we learn about the hitchhiker from the passage?

A．Something unpleasant occurred to him.

B．He was going to the auction.

C．At first he didn’t believe in the author.

D．It was he who bought the author’s car.

小題3:How did the author feel about his dad’s behavior at that time?

A．Angry

B．Appreciated

C．Surprised

D．Ashamed

小題4:What did the author learn from his father?

A．Just a single kind act can make a difference.

B．Try learning to be a good listener.

C．Set high standards for yourself in life.

D．Offering a ride to a stranger is dangerous.

When I met him, I had a lot of anger inside of me．I never had a father, though in my neighborhood that's not  31 ．I know some kids just like me．You have to  32 yourself．
There are fights and killings all the time．I have friends who ended up in jail or pregnant．1 could have ended up that way, too, but Mr. Clark and my mom 33 let that happen.
Mr. Clark worked long hours, making sure I did my work．My grades rose．In fact, I did so well that in sixth grade, I entered the  34 class, and Mr．Clark was the teacher．I felt so  35 to have him for a second year!
He took our class to see The Phantom of the Opera．Before the show, he 36 us to dinner at a restaurant and taught us not to talk with our mouths full．We didn't want to let him 37 , so we listened to him attentively.
  38 of us were surprised when Mr．Clark was selected as Disney's 2000 Teacher of the Year．When he learned he'd won, he said he would 39 three names out of a hat; he would go to Los Angeles to get the 40 with those students．But 41 it came time to draw names, Mr．Clark said, "You're all going."
He got 42 to fly all 37 of us out to Disneyland in California and put us up at the Hilton．People were 43 , but Mr．Clark really cared about us．There's no way I can 44 most teachers doing that．No way．But he saw something in us that nobody else saw.
On graduation day, there were a lot of tears．We didn't want his class to 45 ．In my new school year, we were all happy when Mr．Clark  46 in our class once again．He's been a  47 in our lives.
In 2003, Mr．Clark took some of us on a trip to South Africa to 48 school supplies and visit orphanages．It was the most amazing 49 of my life．It's now my 50 to one day start a group of women's clubs, helping people from all backgrounds.

小題1:	A．common B．normal C．real D．unusual

小題2:	A．comfort B．encourage C．watch D．tolerate

小題3:	A．couldn’t B．wouldn’t C．shouldn’t D．mustn’t

小題4:	A．local B．general C．gifted D．scared

小題5:	A．sudden B．lucky C．a(chǎn)nnoyed D．a(chǎn)nxious

小題6:	A．treated B．directed C．showed D．swapped

小題7:	A．off B．out C．up D．down

小題8:	A．Some B．Any C．None D．Many

小題9:	A．give B．enter C．draw D．register

小題10:

A．reward B．bonus C．diploma D．a(chǎn)ward

小題11:

A．a(chǎn)fter B．when C．before D．since

小題12:

A．donations B．suggestions C．requests D．messages

小題13:

A．excited B．satisfied C．a(chǎn)shamed D．a(chǎn)mazed

小題14:

A．suggest B．a(chǎn)dvocate C．imagine D．complain

小題15:

A．end B．start C．continue D．last

小題16:

A．picked up B．showed up C．rang up D．packed up

小題17:

A．colleague B．sponsor C．success D．constant

小題18:

A．deliver B．collect C．display D．recommend

小題19:

A．a(chǎn)dventure B．experience C．vacation D．interview

小題20:

A．dream B．conclusion C．turn D．demand

Once there was a young woman who didn’t like her job. Everyday when she came home from work, she told her husband how terrible her day had been, how tiring the work and how unreasonable her boss. “Leave that job,” her husband told her.
“Oh, I will,” she said. “But not yet. I have too many friends there for me to leave.” And so she remained unhappy at work until the years became decades and her children had children. “Leave that job,” her grandchildren told her. “Oh, I will,” she said. “But not yet. There are only seven more years until I reach thirty years of service and can retire. So I can’t just yet.”
I know this woman. And her story reminds me of an old dog half asleep on the porch of a general store, moaning and groaning in the sun. “Why is your dog acting that way?” a customer asked the store owner. “Oh,” answered the man. “He’s lying on a nail.” “Well, why doesn’t he move?” “Because it’s not hurting him bad enough.”
That’s true for people, too. We convince ourselves the pain is not bad enough to leave the workplace we know. But we’re wrong. Prolonged work pain is continuing. Some work pain damages our self-esteem, kills our passion or destroys our dreams.
Wilbur Wright once commented, “We could hardly wait to get up in the morning. I know that exhilarating feeling of being so passionate about something I was working on that I couldn’t wait to get back to work. And people who are winning at working know that kind of passion, too.”
They get excited about work. They offer their unique gifts and talents eagerly. And when things don’t change as they sometimes will, they refuse to let environment hijack(劫持) their self-esteem, passion or dreams.
小題1:The woman complained to her husband every day because   .

A．she didn’t have enough money to support her family

B．her boss criticized her for what she had done

C．she was not satisfied with her job at all

D．her work was difficult and her boss was cruel

小題2:From the second paragraph we can know that the woman   .

A．liked making friends with others

B．loved all of her children very much

C．left her tiring job at last

D．did exactly the same job all along

小題3:The underlined word “Prolonged” (in Paragraph 4) means   .

A．lasting

B．slight

C．serious

D．hard

小題4:People who are getting along well with their work     .

A．have to get up early every day

B．a(chǎn)re not willing to go to work

C．need more unique gifts and talents

D．a(chǎn)re likely to change with the situation