It feels like every time my mother and I start to have a conversation, it turns into an argument. We talk about something as simple as dinner plans and suddenly, my mother will push the conversation into World War 3. She’ll talk about my lack of bright future because I don’t plan to be a doctor. And much to her disappointment, I don’t want to do any job related to science, either. In fact, when I was pushed to say that I planned to major(主修) in English and communications, she nearly had a heart attack.
“Why can’t you be like my co-worker’s son?” she bemoans all the time. Her coworker’s son received a four-year scholarship and is now earning 70,000 dollars a year as an engineer. I don’t know what to answer except that I simply can’t be like Mr. Perfect as I’ve called the unnamed co-worker’s son. I can’t be like him. I am the type of the person who loved to help out in the community, write until the sun goes down, and most of all, wants to achieve a career because I love it, not because of a fame or salary.
I understand why my mother is worried about my future major. I’ve seen my mother struggle to raise me on her small salary and work long hours. She leaves the house around 6:30 am and usually comes home around 5 pm or even 6pm. However, I want her to know that by becoming a doctor, it doesn’t mean I’ll be successful. I’d rather follow my dreams and create my own future.
小題1:Which of the following topics do the writer and his mother often talk about?

A．the writer’s studies	B．wars around the world
C．dinner plans	D．the writer’s future job

小題2:We can infer from Paragraph 1 that the writer’s mother _____.

A．doesn’t think the writer should be a doctor

B．doesn’t want the writer to major in English

C．gets along very well with the writer

D．doesn’t think working in the scientific field is a good idea

小題3:The underlined word “bemoans” in Paragraph 2 most probably means “________”.

A．disagrees

B．shouts

C．smiles

D．complains

小題4:Which of the following statements is probably TRUE about the writer?

A．He wants to be like his mother’s co-worker’s son.

B．He wants to find a job in his community in the future.

C．He wants to do something he really likes in the future.

D．He doesn’t think his mother’s co-worker’s son is perfect.

小題5:We can know from the last paragraph that ____.

A．the writer’s mother works very hard for the family

B．the writer doesn’t know what his future will be like

C．the writer doesn’t think being a doctor is a good job

D．the writer sometimes thinks his mother’s advice is very good

One day a famous actor had just got into the train with all his luggage when a young man came and   31  down in the seat opposite him. The young man took out a  32  and began to read it, 33  the actor tried to get some   34 in his corner of the carriage.
When he opened his eyes,  he   35  that the young man was looking at him with his   36  open, his book forgotten. The actor shut his eyes and tried to sleep again, 37  every time he opened them, the young man was looking at him with the same excited look .At last, he gave up the attempt(企圖) to sleep, took out a newspaper, put it   38  in front of him and began to read. The young man tried several times to get into conversation with the actor, but   39 .
After a long period of silence the young man said again, “I’m George P. Anderson of Willington, Vermont.” This time the actor put his   40  down and said, “So am I.” That was the end of the conversation.

小題1:	A．lay B．sat C．looked D．got

小題2:	A．newspaper B．magazine C．book D．letter

小題3:	A．when B．because C．as D．while

小題4:	A．drink B．help C．food D．sleep

小題5:	A．found B．thought C．felt D．expected

小題6:	A．book B．mouth C．arms D．shirt

小題7:	A．but B．therefore C．so D．however

小題8:	A．away B．up C．down D．out

小題9:	A．failed B．succeeded C．missed D．refused

小題10:

A．paper B．luggage C．feet D．hands

Now we can see a man and his wife at the breakfast table. They are not speaking to each other. They haven’t spoken to each other at the breakfast table for years. The husband is reading his newspaper. We can’t see his face. The wife looks very worried as she gets a cup of tea ready for him. Today she is using a new kind of tea for the first time. The husband picks up his cup. He isn’t interested. He tastes his tea. Suddenly he puts down his newspaper. Something is different! Can it be the tea? He takes another taste. It’s wonderful. He smiles. He looks at his wife and says in surprise, “Doris, when did you cut your hair?” Doris is pleased. She answers, “Two months ago.” Doris asks, “ Herbie , when did your hair begin to become white?” He answers, “A long time ago.” Doris says, “We have been together for many years, but we never cared about each other.” Now they aren’t worried any longer. Breakfast is different. Has a new kind of tea changed their lives?
小題1:This story happens______________________.

A．before breakfast	B．after breakfast
C．at home	D．in a teahouse

小題2:In the passage, we can see ________________________.

A．Doris is drinking tea	B．Herbie likes the new kind of tea
C．Doris is reading a newspaper	D．Herbie is very young and good-looking

小題3:Herbie and Doris lived ______________ before this day.

A．a wonderful	B．an unhappy
C．an enjoyable	D．a friendly

小題4:Which of the following statements is true?

A．They are good friends.	B．They have just got married.
C．They like to talk about their hair.	D．They are no longer young.

As Christmas drew near, Ursula was faced with just that problem. She had come to live in an American home and learn English.  31 , she would mind the children and do anything she was asked.
One of her tasks was to keep track of arriving Christmas presents. Ursula did this faithfully, but she became increasingly worried. What could she buy for her   32  with the little money she had that would compare with the gifts she was recording daily?   33  , even without any of the gifts , her employer seems to have everything.
Ursula  34  long and hard. On Christmas Eve, she went to a store. She moved slowly through crowds of shoppers,  35  things in her mind. Finally she bought a baby dress. She immediately called a taxi.  “Excuse me, please, can you help me find a poor family with a baby?”  “A poor family?” said the  36  driver. “Yes, a very poor family.” Ursula told the man what she was trying to do. He listened in silence, and then said, “I know a family who needs just about everything.”
When they reached a building, the driver said, “They live on the third floor.” Ursula shook her head, “Would you take this dress to them and tell them it’s from someone …someone who has everything.”
Early the next day, Ursula   37  everyone for the presents she received. Then, she began to   38  why there seemed to be none from her. She told about what she did the night before. When she finished, there was a long   39  . “You see,” she added, “I try to do a kindness in your   40  .  And this is my Christmas present to you.”

小題1:	A．In return B．As a result C．By the way D．In a sense

小題2:	A．own family B．classmates C．friend D．American family

小題3:	A．Otherwise B．Therefore C．Besides D．But

小題4:	A．talked B．thought C．waited D．worked

小題5:	A．selecting B．matching C．remembering D．organizing

小題6:	A．delighted B．anxious C．surprised D．respectful

小題7:	A．thanked B．encouraged C．praised D．admired

小題8:	A．settle B．repeat C．argue D．explain

小題9:	A．delay B．silence C．time D．break

小題10:

A．case B．opinion C．memory D．name

閱讀短文，根據(jù)短文的內容判斷正誤，正確的涂A，錯誤的涂B。
When my grandmother was raising me in Stamps，Arkansas，she had a particular routine(慣例)when people who were known to be whiners entered her store. My grandmother would ask the customer，“How are you doing today，Thomas？” The person would reply，“Not so good today, Henderson.You see，it’s this summer heat.I just hate it.It just makes me tired.It’s almost killing me.”Then my grandmother would stand calmly，her arms folded，and say，“Uh-huh，uh huh.”
As soon as the complainer was out of the store，my grandmother would call me to stand in front of her.Then she would say the same thing she had said at least a thousand times，it seemed to me.“Jane，did you hear what so-and-so complained about？”And I would nod.Grandmother would continue，“Jane，there are people who went to sleep all over the world last night，poor and rich and black and white，but they will never wake again.Those dead people would give anything，anything at all for just five minutes of this weather that person was complaining about.So you watch yourself about complaining，Jane.What you’re supposed to do when you don’t like a thing is change it.If you can’t change it，change the way you think about it.Don’t complain.”
I have learned a lot from my grandmother.Her opinions always hit the nail on the head.Whining is not only impolite, but can be dangerous.
小題1:The underlined word “whiners” in Paragraph 1 refers to those people who enter a store regularly.
小題2: From what the author’s grandmother said we can infer that she was against whining.
小題3:The author’s grandmother told her to treasure every moment of her life.
小題4:The author was told different things after the whiners left Grandmother’s store.
小題5:The purpose of the author in writing the passage is to show that complaining is not only rude but harmful.

Many years ago three soldiers, hungry and tired of battles, came upon a small village. The villagers,  36  a poor harvest and many years of war, quickly  37  what little they had to eat and met the three at the village square, wringing（絞）their clothes and complaining of the  38  shortages.
The soldiers spoke quietly among themselves and the first soldier then  39  the village elders. “Your tired fields have left you  40  to share, so we will share what little we have: the  41  of how to make soup from stones.”
42  the villagers were interested and soon a fire was put to the town’s greatest pot as the soldiers dropped three smooth  43  into the pot full of water. “Now this will be a fine soup,” said the second soldier, “but a little salt and some parsley（歐芹）would make it  44  !” Up jumped a villager, crying “I’ve just remembered  45  some have been left!” She ran away, 46  with the parsley and salt. 47  the water boiled, corn, carrots, beef and cream  48  their way into the pot when all sat  49  to have a large meal.
The villagers ate and sang and danced well into the  50  , full of energy again by the meal and their new-found friends. In the next morning the three soldiers  51  up to find the whole village standing before them. At their feet  52  a bag of the village’s best bread and cheese. An elder said that the soldiers had given them the  53  gift: the secret of how to make soup from stones and they would never forget. The third soldier turned to the  54  and said, “There is no secret, but this is certain: it is only by  55  that we may enjoy a large meal.”

小題1:	A．having B．disliking C．knowing D．suffering

小題2:	A．threw B．hid C．covered D．collected

小題3:	A．clothing B．money C．food D．water

小題4:	A．called for B．believed in C．looked for D．turned to

小題5:	A．nothing B．everything C．anything D．something

小題6:	A．skill B．secret C．study D．story

小題7:	A．Quietly B．Naturally C．Suddenly D．Finally

小題8:	A．coins B．spoons C．stones D．knives

小題9:	A．salty B．wonderful C．sweet D．beautiful

小題10:

A．where B．when C．why D．how

小題11:

A．leaving B．starting C．playing D．returning

小題12:

A．while B．Though C．As D．Since

小題13:

A．lost B．went C．found D．directed

小題14:

A．up B．around C．by D．down

小題15:

A．night B．morning C．afternoon D．day

小題16:

A．stayed B．jumped C．woke D．moved

小題17:

A．lay B．stood C．hung D．fell

小題18:

A．greatest B．simplest C．worst D．funniest

小題19:

A．adults B．soldiers C．workmen D．crowd

小題20:

A．learning B．sharing C．borrowing D．trusting

Did you ever wonder who invented products like Liquid Paper, Kevlar or paper bags? Most would think a man invented these items. Guess what? Women invented each of these. What? You don’t believe me? Well, read this:
Liquid Paper was invented by Bette Nesmith Graham in 1951 and originally called Mistake Out. Being a typist, Bette was increasingly irritated with being unable to erase her typing mistakes. The messy business left her hands black and the paper dirty. Bette was good at painting and remembered that an artist paints over mistakes. She applied that same principle to typing mistakes and Liquid Paper was born, making Bette into a self-made millionaire.
Kevlar, yes, the Kevlar of the bullet proof vest（防彈衣）—what police officers and soldiers wear, was invented by Stephanie Kwolek. Stephanie worked for the DuPont Company as a research chemist. She was asked to find a high-performance fiber. Originally, this fiber was intended to be used for car tires (輪胎). However, the fiber she developed in 1964 was amazing and is still used in products such as sailboats, skis, shoes, and yes, bullet proof vests. In 1995 Stephanie was named to the National Inventor’s Hall of Fame.
Margaret Knight invented a machine that revolutionized the making of paper bags. Paper bags had been made like envelopes but Margaret developed a machine that would fold and paste（粘）a flat-bottom paper bag, the very same type we still use today. Margaret’s family was poor and she started working at the age of nine. Her first invention at the age of twelve was a safety tool for a loom（織布機）. Later she worked for the Columbia Paper Bag Company. It was there that she worked on improving the making of paper bags. She was issued her patent（專利）in 1870.
So next time you use a new product or an old one, will you wonder who made it? Do some research on the web and answer a few questions like: Who invented it? How was it invented? You may be surprised at some of the stories you uncover.
小題1:The underlined word “irritated” in Paragraph 2 is the closest in meaning to_________.

A．annoyed

B．excited

C．delighted

D．nervous

小題2:What do we know about Margaret?

A．She was a member of the National Inventor’s Hall of Fame.

B．Her first invention was made when she was twenty.

C．Her invention was designed to produce envelopes.

D．She began working when she was very young.

小題3:which of the following best shows the structure of the passage? (①="paragraph" 1, ②="Paragraph" 2,… ⑤="paragraph" 5)
 
小題4:What would be the best title for the passage?

A．How inventions were made

B．Amazing inventions by women

C．Women and modern technology

D．You can also be an inventor

Humor is a most effective, yet frequently neglected, means of handling the difficult situations in our lives. It can be used for patching up differences, apologizing, saying “no,” criticizing, getting the other fellow to do what you want without his losing face. For some jobs, it’s the only tool that can succeed. It is a way to discuss subjects so sensitive that serious dialogue may start a quarrel. For example, many believe that comedians on television are doing more today for racial and religious tolerance than people in any other forum.
Humor is often the best way to keep a small misunderstanding from escalating into a big deal. Recently a neighbor of mine had a squabble with his wife as she drove him to the airport. Airborne, he felt miserable, and he knew she did, too. Two hours after she returned home, she received a long-distance phone call. “Person-to-person for Mrs. I. A. Pologize,” intoned the operator. “That’s spelled ‘P’ as in…” In a twinkling, the whole day changed from grim to lovely at both ends of the wire.
An English hostess with a quick wit was giving a formal dinner for eight distinguished guests whom she hoped to enlist in a major charity drive. Austerity（節(jié)儉）was a fashion in England at the time, and she had asked her children to serve the meal. She knew that anything could happen—and it did, just as her son, with the studied concentration of a tightrope walker, brought in a large roast turkey. He successfully elbowed the swinging dining-room door, but the backswing threw the bird onto the dining-room floor.
The boy stood rooted: guests stared at their plates. Moving only her head the hostess smiled at her son,” No harm, Daniel,” she said. “Just pick him up and take him back to the kitchen”… she enunciated clearly so he would think about what she was saying… “and bring in the other one.”
A wink and a one-liner instantly changed the dinner from a red-faced embarrassment to a conspiracy of fun.
小題1:What is the main idea of the passage?

A．Humor is the key to success in our work and our lives.

B．Humor enables us to cope with difficult situation effectively.

C．Humor is the only best way to criticize someone without losing his face.

D．Humor makes fun of any difficult situations.

小題2:Which of the following is NOT stated in the passage?

A．Comedians on TV are believed to have done a lot in making people more tolerant of racial and religious differences.

B．To make up differences, humor is a most acceptable as well as a most effective means.

C．People often turn to humorous ways when meeting with difficult situations because of its effectiveness.

D．Only by adopting the means of humor can one succeed in some jobs.

小題3:By saying “and bring in the other one,” the hostess meant that_________.

A．the son had to cook another turkey for the guests

B．she already had made more than one turkey ready for the dinner

C．some other dish would be served instead of a turkey

D．the son could serve the same turkey after it was cleaned

Studying volcanoes is a demanding profession. Hazel Rymer frequently has to struggle through rainforests, climb to the top of mountains, then climb 200 metres into the crater of active volcanoes. But the 38-year-old volcanologist does her best to make it sound less alarming than it is. “Driving to work is more risky,” she insists. “And the deepest I go into the crater of a volcano is about 300 metres,” she adds, trying to make it all sound as ordinary as taking the dog for a walk.
Hazel has been studying volcanoes for a long time, so it’s not surprising she is used to the danger. Her interest in volcanoes began at school. A teacher gave her a book about Pompeii. “I remember reading about the eruption of Vesuvius and the destruction of the city,” she explains. “The thought of all those people just frozen in time had quite an effect on me and I am still excited by their dangerous beauty today.”
Nowadays, volcanoes are getting more and more unpredictable. There have been many changes in sea level caused by global warming and melting ice caps. These have resulted in some dormant volcanoes erupting, so studying them is more dangerous than ever before. Hazel says that although she doesn’t take any unnecessary risk she has had some frightening moments. Her worst experience was on the slopes of Mount Etna in Sicily, when she was slowly surrounded by lava. “I had a choice of walking ten hours to get around the lava flow or just walking across it,” she explains. She chose to pick a path across the cooler rocks in the lava stream. “I guess it was five metres. The flow was 1,000°C, so if you hesitated your boots would begin to melt. It was scary, but it really was a practical decision --- there wasn't time to do anything else.”
And what about the future? “I haven’t been to the volcanoes in Indonesia yet. And I would love to spend some time working in the Antarctic,” she says. “I would also like to know why quiet lava flows erupt from some volcanoes and why other volcanoes go bang.” In other words, Hazel Rymer won’t be exchanging her volcanoes for the relative safety of driving to work just yet.
小題1:Hazel’s claim that “driving to work is more risky” than exploring volcanoes shows that ______.

A．people have exaggerated the dangers of volcanoes in the past

B．Hazel does not really understand the dangerous situations she puts herself in.

C．there are many bad drivers in the place where Hazel lives

D．Hazel is being modest and understating the dangers she faces

小題2:When did Hazel first become interested in volcanoes?

A．When she was visiting Italy.

B．When she was at school.

C．When she was twenty.

D．When she saw Vesuvius.

小題3:The underlined word “these” (in paragraph 3) refers to __________.

A．melting ice-caps	B．volcanic eruptions
C．changes in sea level	D．higher temperatures

小題4:When Hazel was on Mount Etna she had to ________.

A．take a dangerous route

B．take an unnecessary risk

C．leave her boots behind

D．walk for ten hours around the mountain

小題5:In the future, Hazel wants to ________.

A．revisit volcanoes she knows

B．go on holiday to the Antarctic

C．find a less dangerous job

D．discover new things about volcanoes

When I was growing up, I had an old neighbor named Dr. Gibbs. He didn’t look like any doctor I’d   36  known. When Dr. Gibbs wasn’t   37  lives, he was planting trees.
The good doctor had some   38  theories on planting trees. He believed in “No pains, no gains”. He never   39  his new trees, which was   40  many people. Once I asked why. He   41  that watering plants spoiled them, and that if you water them, each following tree generation will   42  weaker and weaker. So you have to make things   43  for them. He talked about how watering trees   44  shallow roots, and how trees that weren’t watered had to grow deep roots in   45  of water. I came to understand that he meant deep roots were to be   46 . I planted a couple of trees a few years back and I took good care of them. Two years of   47  has resulted in trees that expect to be waited on hand and foot. Whenever a cold wind blows, they   48  and tremble their branches. Funny things about those trees of Dr. Gibbs’. The lack of water seemed to   49  them in ways comfort and ease never could.
I used to   50  for my sons that their lives will be easy. But   51  I’ve been thinking that it’s time to   52  my prayer. I know my children are going to meet   53 , and I’m praying they will be strong. The prayer for comfort is seldom met. What we need to do is to pray for deep roots,   54  when the winds blow, we won’t be   55  away.

小題1:	A．even B．ever C．never D．hardly

小題2:	A．valuing B．making C．enjoying D．saving

小題3:	A．exciting B．dull C．interesting D．terrible

小題4:	A．watered B．raised C．loved D．sheltered

小題5:	A．against B．beyond C．within D．from

小題6:	A．wondered B．answered C．doubted D．guessed

小題7:	A．grow B．change C．appear D．show

小題8:	A．harmful B．favorable C．tough D．wonderful

小題9:	A．made for B．headed for C．allowed for D．cared for

小題10:

A．charge B．favor C．honor D．search

小題11:

A．treasured B．challenged C．respected D．liked

小題12:

A．education B．information C．preparation D．devotion

小題13:

A．dance B．shake C．spread D．lift

小題14:

A．harm B．raise C．benefit D．hurt

小題15:

A．pray B．apply C．stand D．call

小題16:

A．perfectly B．formally C．obviously D．lately

小題17:

A．attend B．say C．change D．keep

小題18:

A．hardships B．worries C．bosses D．jobs

小題19:

A．or B．so C．and D．but

小題20:

A．given B．sent C．broken D．swept