Several years ago, a farmer owned some land along the sea. He advertised for workers, but no one wanted to work for him. Most people didn’t want to work there   31  they didn’t like the bad storms. Finally, a   32  man, who looked weak and more than fifty years old, came to see the farmer. “Are you a good farmhand?” the farmer asked him.
“Well, I   33  sleep well when the wind blows.” answered the little man.
Although the answer was strange, the farmer let the man stay to work. The little man worked   34  around the farm, busy from morning till evening. The farmer felt very pleased with his work.
Then one night the wind began to blow strongly. Jumping out of the bed, the farmer   35  into the little man’s room. He shook the little man and cried, “Get up! A   36  is coming!”
The little man said slowly, “No sir, I told you----I can   37  well when the wind blows.”
The farmer was very angry, but he had to hurry outside to get ready for the storm. To his   38  , everything was ready outside.   39  could be blown away.
The farmer   40  what the man meant, so he returned to his bed to sleep while the wind was still blowing.

小題1:	A．so B．but C．because D．a(chǎn)lthough

小題2:	A．big B．little C．young D．strong

小題3:	A．can B．must C．need D．should

小題4:	A．well B．badly C．loudly D．clearly

小題5:	A．walked B．rushed C．moved D．drove

小題6:	A．man B．dog C．ship D．storm

小題7:	A．work B．play C．sleep D．listen

小題8:	A．a(chǎn)nger B．pride C．surprise D．confidence

小題9:	A．Everything B．Something C．Anything D．Nothing

小題10:

A．understood B．preferred C．heard D．did

An old man who lived in a small back street of my hometown had to tolerate（忍受） the nuisance（討厭的人或事） of boys playing football and making a lot of noise outside his house at night.
One evening when the boys were particularly_21__，he went out to talk to them. He explained that he had just retired(退休) and was_22__when he could see or hear boys playing his_23_game，football. He would_24_ give them ￥25 each week to play in the street at night. The boys got_25_，for they could hardly believe_26_they were being paid to do something they__27_.
The first two weeks had passed，the boys came to the old man’s house，and went away__28__with their 25 Yuan. The third week when they came back，__29__，the old man said he hadn’t had much money__30__himself and sent them away with only 15 Yuan. The fourth week，the man said he had not yet 31  his paycheck from the government and gave them only 10 Yuan. The boys were very disappointed，but there was__32__much that they could do about it.
At the__33_of the fifth week，the boys came back and__34_at the old man’s door，waiting for their_35_.Slowly，the door opened and the old man appeared. He_36_that he could not afford to pay them 25 yuan_37_he had promised，but said he would give them  38 yuan each week without fail.
This was really too much for the boys. “You expect us to play seven days a week for only five yuan！” they yelled.“__39__！”
They stormed away and  40   played on the street again.
小題1: 

A．hot

B．noisy

C．troublesome

D．naughty

小題2: 

A．happiest

B．excited

C．encouraged

D．bored

小題3: 

A．interesting

B．a(chǎn)musing

C．a(chǎn)cceptable

D．favorite

小題4: 

A．more ever

B．therefore

C．willingly

D．forever

小題5: 

A．shouted

B．cried

C．excited

D．smiled

小題6: 

A．how

B．when

C．that

D．what

小題7: 

A．expected

B．enjoyed

C．a(chǎn)dmired

D．respected

小題8: 

A．happily

B．thankfully

C．gratefully

D．tearfully

小題9: 

A．but

B．in addition

C．however

D．besides

小題10: 

A．earned

B．saved

C．remained

D．left

小題11: 

A．received

B．a(chǎn)ccepted

C．paid

D．given

小題12: 

A．not

B．no

C．so

D．very

小題13: 

A．final

B．end

C．start

D．beginning

小題14: 

A．kicked

B．hit

C．beat

D．knocked

小題15: 

A．rewards

B．a(chǎn)wards

C．checks

D．wages

小題16: 

A．expressed

B．a(chǎn)pologized

C．stated

D．expected

小題17: 

A．a(chǎn)s

B．like

C．when

D．though

小題18: 

A．5

B．10

C．15

D．20

小題19: 

A．No way

B．No possible

C．No problem

D．No play

小題20: 

A．ever

B．never

C．still

D．keep

Agnes Miller was one of the earliest leaders of the Women’s Liberation Movement in the United States. She was born on a farm in Missouri in 1892. Strangely enough she had a very happy life as a child. She was the only daughter and the youngest child of five. Her parents and her brothers always treated her as their favorite.
In 1896 the family moved to Chicago. Three years later they moved back to St. Louis where Agnes spent the rest of her childhood. She enjoyed her years in school and was an excellent student of mathematics. She also was quite skillful as a painter.
It was when Agnes went off to college that she first learned that women were not treated as equals. She didn’t like being treated unequally but she tried not to notice it. After graduating from college she tried to get a job in her major field—physics. She soon found it was almost impossible for a woman.
Agnes spent a full year looking for a job. Finally she gave up in anger. She began writing letters of anger to various newspapers. An editor in New York liked her ideas very much. He specially liked her style. He asked her to do a series of stories on the difficulties that women had in finding a job. And there she began her great fight for equal rights for women.
小題1:
Where did Agnes spend her childhood?

A．Missouri.

B．Chicago.

C．New York.

D．St. Louis and Chicago.

小題2:
At school, Agnes was good at      .

A．physics and painting	B．maths and painting
C．writing and maths	D．physics and writing

小題3:
What happened in Agnes’s life when she was in college?

A．She learned to accept the fact that men and women were unequal.

B．She learned that it was impossible for a woman to be a scientist.

C．She came to know of the inequality between men and women.

D．She developed her personal way of writing.

I was shopping in the supermarket when I heard a young voice. “Mom, come here! There’s this lady near my size!” The mother rushed to her son; then she turned to me to apologize. I smiled and told her, “It’s okay.” Then talked to the boy, “Hi, I’m Darry Kramer. How are you?” He studied me from head to toe, and asked, “Are you a little mommy?” “Yes, I have a son,” I answered. “Why are you so little?” he asked. “It’s the way I was born,” I said. “Some people are little. Some are tall. I’m just not going to grow any bigger.” After I answered his other questions, I shook the boy’s hand and left.
My life as a little person is filled with stories like that. I enjoy talking to children and explaining why I look different from their parents.
It takes only one glance to see my uniqueness. I stand three feet nine inches tall. I was born an achondroplasia dwarf (侏儒). Despite this, I did all the things other kids did when I was growing up.
I didn’t realize how short I was until I started school. Some kids joked on me, calling me names. Then I knew. I began to hate the first day of school each year. New students would always stare at me as I struggled to climb the school bus stairs.
But I learned to smile and accept the fact that I was going to be noticed my whole life. I decided to make my uniqueness an advantage rather than a disadvantage. What I lacked in height, I made up for in personality.
I’m 47 now, and the stares have not diminished as I’ve grown older. People are amazed when they see me driving. I try to keep a good attitude. When people are rude, I remind myself, “Look what else I have – a great family, nice friends.”
It’s the children’s questions that make my life special. I enjoy answering their questions. My hope is that I will encourage them to accept their peers (a person of the same age, class, position, etc.), whatever size and shape they come in, and treat them with respect.
小題1:
Why did the mother apologize to the author?

A．Because the boy ran into the author.

B．Because the boy laughed at the author.

C．Because they boy said the author was fatter than him.

D．Because the mother thought the boy’s words had hurt the author.

小題2:
When did the author realize that she was too short?

A．When she grew up.

B．When she was 47 years old.

C．When she began to go to school.

D．When she met the boy in the supermarket.

小題3:
Which of the following word can best replace the underlined word “diminished”?

A．doubted

B．increased

C．decreased

D．improved

小題4:
.How does the author feel about people’s stares now?

A．Angry

B．Calm

C．Painful

D．Discouraged

Years ago, in a small fishing village in Holland, a young boy taught the world about the rewards of unselfish service.
Because the entire village lived on fishing, a volunteer rescue team was needed in case of emergency. One night, the winds   36  , the clouds burst and a strong storm overturned a fishing boat at sea. The crew in trouble   37  the SOS. The captain of the rescue rowboat team   38  the alarm and the villagers   39  in the town square overlooking the sea. When the team started their rowboat fought their way through the wild waves, the villagers waited   40  on the beach, holding lamps to   41  the way back.
An hour later, the rescue boat reappeared through the fog and the   42  villagers ran to greet them. Falling   43  on the sand, the volunteers reported that the rescue boat could not hold any more   44   and they had to leave one man behind. Even one more passenger would have surely   45 the rescue boat and all would have been lost.
   46  , the captain called for another volunteer team to   47  the survivor. Sixteen-year-old Hans stepped forward. His mother grabbed his arm, crying, "please don't go. Your father   48 in a shipwreck  (船只失事) 10 years ago and your elder brother, Paul, has been lost　　49  for three weeks. Hans, you are all I have left."
Hans replied, "Mother, I have to go.    50  everyone said I can't go, let someone else do it? Mother, this time I have to do my duty. When the call for service   51 , we all need to take our turn and do our part. Hans kissed his mother, joined the team and   52  into the night. "
Another hour passed, which seemed to Hans' mother like a century.    53   the rescue boat dashed through the fog with Hans standing up in the bow.    54 his hands, the captain called, "did you find the lost man?"    55  able to control himself, Hans excitedly cried back, "Yes, we found him. Tell my mother it's my elder brother, Paul!"

小題1:	A．stilled B．screamed C．stopped D．calmed

小題2:	A．set about B．sent out C．came up with D．took over

小題3:	A．sounded B．set C．took D．made

小題4:	A．gathered B．followed C．fought D．struggled

小題5:	A．nervously B．a(chǎn)ngrily C．fearfully D．happily

小題6:

A．hope

B．light

C．expect

D．try

小題7:	A．promising B．hoping C．cheering D．standing

小題8:	A．uncomfortable B．exhausted C．disturbed D．painful

小題9:	A．villagers B．sailors C．captains D．passengers

小題10:

A．pushed B．pulled C．overturned D．settled

小題11:

A．Anxiously B．Strangely C．Unexpectedly D．Doubtfully

小題12:

A．look after B．look for C．lookout D．look on

小題13:

A．died B．pulled C．went D．interrupted

小題14:

A．in the fire B．a(chǎn)t sea C．on strike D．in the war

小題15:

A．How about B．What for C．What if D．What with

小題16:

A．comes B．goes C．flies D．climbs

小題17:

A．a(chǎn)ppeared B．disappeared C．came D．went

小題18:

A．Therefore B．Firstly C．when D．Finally

小題19:

A．Making B．Keeping C．Showing D．Cupping

小題20:

A．Hardly B．Only C．Seldom D．Always

A gentle breeze blew through Jennifer's hair. The golden red sun was setting. She was on the beach, looking up at the fiery (火紅的) ball. She was amazed by its color, deep red in the middle, softly fading into yellow. She could hear nothing but the waves and the seagulls flying up above in the sky.    
The atmosphere relaxed her. After all she had been through, this was what she needed. "It's getting late," she thought, "I must go home. My parents will be wondering where I am."
She wondered how her parents would react, when she got home after the three days she was missing. She kept on walking, directing herself where she spent every summer holiday. The road was deserted. She walked slowly and silently. Just in a few hundred meters she would have been safe in her house.
It was really getting dark now. The sun had set a few minutes before and it was getting cold too. She wished she had her favorite sweater on: it kept her really warm. She imagined having it with her. This thought disappeared when she finally saw her front door. It seemed different. Nobody had taken care of the outside garden for a few days. She was shocked: her father was usually so strict about keeping everything clean and tidy, and now... It all seemed deserted. She couldn't understand what was going on.    
She entered the house. First, she went into the kitchen where she saw a note written by her father. It said: "Dear Ellen, there is some coffee ready. I went looking." Ellen was her mother but－where was she? On the right side of the hallway was her parents' room. She went in. Then she saw her. Her mother, lying on the bed, was sleeping. Her face looked so tired, as if she hadn't slept for days. She was really pale. Jennifer would have wanted to wake her up but she looked too tired. So Jennifer just fell asleep beside her. When Jennifer woke up, something was different－she wasn't in her mother's room and she wasn't wearing the old clothes she ran away in. She was in her cozy bed in her pajamas.     
It felt so good being back home. Suddenly she heard a voice, "Are you feeling better now, dear? You know you got us very, very scared."
小題1:Three days later Jennifer came back home     .

A．a(chǎn)t sunrise

B．a(chǎn)t sunset

C．a(chǎn)t night

D．a(chǎn)t midday

小題2: What does the underlined phrase "This thought" most probably mean?

A．The idea of going back home.

B．Her anxiety about her parents.

C．The feeling of being warm in her favorite sweater.

D．The feeling of getting back home safely.

小題3: Her father didn't take care of the garden because     .

A．he was busy looking for her

B．he had to look after his wife

C．he was not strict with his job

D．he no longer enjoyed working in the garden

小題4:

The Man of Many Secrets
Harry Houdini was one of the greatest American entertainers in the theater this century．He was a man famous for his escapes—from prison cells，from wooden boxes floating in rivers，from locked tanks full of water．He appeared in theaters all over Europe and America．Crowds came to see the great Houdini and his “magic”tricks．
0f course，his secret was not magic，or supernatural powers．It was simply strength．He had ability to move his toes as well as to move his fingers．He could move his body into almost any position he wanted．
Houdini started working in the entertainment world when he was 17，in 1891．He and his brother Theo performed card tricks in a New York club．They called themselves the Houdini brothers．When Harry married in 1894，he and his wife Bess worked together as magician and assistant，but for a long time they were not successful．Then Harty performed his first prison escape，in Chicago in 1898．Harry persuaded a detective to let him try to escape from the prison，and he invited the local newspaperman to watch．It was the publicity(名聲)that came from this that started Harry Houdini’s success．
Harry had fingers trained to escape from handcuffs(手銬)and toes trained to escape from ankle chains，but his biggest secret was how he unlocked the prison doors．Every time he went into the prison cell，Bess gave him a kiss for good luck—and a small skeleton key，which is a key that fits many locks passed quickly from her mouth to his．
Harry used these prison escapes to build his fame．He arranged to escape from the local jail of every town he visited．In the afternoon the people of the town would read about it in their local newspapers．a(chǎn)nd in the evening every seat in the local theater would be full．What was the result? Worldwide fame，and a name remembered today．
小題1:According to the passage，Houdini’s success in prison escapes depends on   ．

A．his magic tricks and inhuman powers	B．his special tricks and a skeleton key
C．his unusual ability and skeleton key	D．his inhuman talents and magic tricks

小題2:According to the passage，how did Houdini get the key which helped him unlock prison door?

A．He took the key from his wife’s mouth．

B．His wife passed it to his hand while kissing him．

C．His wife gave it to him by a magic trick．

D．He got it in his mouth through a kiss by his wife．

小題3:It can be inferred from the passage that Houdini became famous   ．

A．when he was about 24	B．when he was about 17
C．a(chǎn)fter the year 1894	D．before the year 1898

It was in the hospital that I first saw Tommy.
He must have been crying a lot __21_  his chest was still heaving（起伏）as I __22_  the bed. I knew he was trying to __23_  his tears. I felt helpless, unable to __24_  the pain from the little boy. Suddenly an idea hit me. I wanted to __25_  him the ancient Hawaiian wisdom. __26_  over, I whispered, “Tommy , did you know our Hawaiian Lizards（蜥蜴）grow their tails back and little boys can grow their  __27_  back too?” Tommy’s eyes grew wide with  __28_  .
“They can?” he asked, obviously  __29_  .
“Yes!” I answered with  __30_ . “Close your eyes,” I said. He nodded with his eyes closed  __31_  .
“Tell your finger every day how much you love it and you need it to  __32_  the phone and to write your homework in school.” I paused, __33_  his little face focused in deep __34_  . “Now say, grow for me, finger. I love you. I need you so much.” __35_  later, Tommy opened his eyes. I told him, “Your finger will be perfectly fine. Let’s __36_  until it completely recovers.”
A year later, Tommy came to say good-bye to me. His broken finger was just the same as any other finger should be. Only a(n) __37_   scar（傷疤）remained.
Tommy remains forever in my heart and  __38_   me of the possibility of miracle（奇跡）. From him, I have learnt to _39_  failure. He inspires me to improve myself and to remember the ancient __40_  : Everything is possible if you truly believe.
小題1:

A．so

B．but

C．because

D．or

小題2:

A．left

B．a(chǎn)pproached

C．touched

D．saw

小題3:

A．flow out

B．wipe out

C．hold up

D．hold back

小題4:  

A．remove

B．move

C．stand

D．suffer

小題5:  

A．a(chǎn)muse

B．teach

C．inspire

D．treat

小題6:

A．Turning

B．Watching

C．Looking

D．Bending

小題7:.

A．hands

B．a(chǎn)rms

C．fingers

D．feet

小題8:

A．ease

B．excitement

C．fright

D．disappointment

小題9:

A．tired

B．confident

C．a(chǎn)stonished

D．worried

小題10:

A．certainty

B．pride

C．honesty

D．pleasure

小題11:  

A．slightly

B．firmly

C．loosely

D．straight

小題12:

A．call

B．a(chǎn)nswer

C．dial

D．receive

小題13:

A．changing

B．noticing

C．washing

D．covering

小題14:  

A．sadness

B．fantasy

C．regret

D．a(chǎn)ttention

小題15:  

A．Years

B．Weeks

C．Minutes

D．Hours

小題16:  

A．stay

B．stop

C．wait

D．rest

小題17:

A．fine

B．ugly

C．terrible

D．big

小題18:  

A．warns

B．reminds

C．educates

D．shows

小題19:

A．forget

B．a(chǎn)ccept

C．refuse

D．challenge

小題20:

A．game

B．lesson

C．wisdom

D．truth

Heather Mills McCartney lives an admirable life, attending celebrity parties, meeting regularly with the rich and famous and doing meaningful work for charity. All who work with her admire and respect her. But Heather’s life hasn’t always been so easy. When Heather was only 9 years old, her mother abandoned her and her two brothers. At the age of 13, she ran away from home and ended up living on the streets in London. Eventually, however, her exceptional beauty led to a career in modeling. At that time, Heather also began helping with the war relief efforts in former Yugoslavia. Through her modeling and relief work, she soon became famous.
But in August 1993, at age 25 her life changed once again. She was crossing the street in London when a motorcycle crashed into her. She was so badly injured that the doctors had to cut off her left leg. After that, she discovered she frequently needed to change her artificial limbs. It was expensive and she felt it was a waste to just throw away the old one. It occurred to her to set up an organization that could deliver used artificial limbs to Yugoslavia and other war-torn countries. It was through her charity work that she met her husband Paul McCartney.
Throughout her life, Heather has risen above problems and focused on helping others. Her work with artificial limbs even earned her a nomination(提名) for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996. Heather’s persistence and determination are what impresses anyone who knows her. Heather believes anyone can make a positive difference in the world.
小題1:This passage is mainly about _________.

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

小題2:Heather began her modeling career _________.

A．due to her mother’s encouragement

B．a(chǎn)fter her brothers abandoned her

C．because of her excellent intelligence and performances

D．because she was especially beautiful

小題3:Which of the following is Not true according to the passage?

A．Heather won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996.

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

C．Her artificial limbs had to be replaced continuously.

D．Heather has never been defeated by her problems.

小題4:From the passage we can infer that people admire and respect Heather because
_________.

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

B．she was a world-famous model

C．she is determined and never gives in

D．she made a great difference in the world

Being the head of a high school for many years, I grew tired of budget meetings, funding cuts, and many other administrative chores(雜務(wù)). I started to dream of retirement. Sitting in traffic on a weekday morning, I would find my mind wandering. I would imagine spending time with my grandchildren, quiet evenings with my wife, traveling, or rediscovering some great books. I told myself that I wouldn’t sign myself up for any committees, any classes, or anything requiring a schedule.
My first day of retirement came at last! I cooked a great breakfast for my wife and me, leisurely read the paper, cleaned a bit of the house, and wrote a few letters to friends. On the second day, I cooked breakfast, read the paper… On the third day, … This is retirement? I tried to tell myself that it was just the transition(過(guò)渡), that those golden moments were right round the corner, and that I would enjoy them soon enough. But something was missing.
A former colleague asked a favor. A group of students was going to Jamaica to work with children in the poorest neighborhoods. Would I interrupt my newfound “happiness” and return to the students, just this once? One trip. That’s all. My bags were packed and by the door.
The trip was very inspiring. I was moved not only by the poverty I saw but also by the sense of responsibility of the young people on the trip. When I returned home, I offered to work one day a week with a local youth organization. The experience was so positive that I was soon volunteering nearly full-time, working with students across North America to assist them in their voluntary work.
Now, it seems, the tables have turned. Some days I am the teacher, other days I am the student. These young people have reawakened my commitment(責(zé)任感) to social justice issues by challenging me to learn more about the situation in the world today, where people are still poor and suffer because of greed, corruption and war. Most important, they have given me the opportunity to continue to participate in helping to find solutions. In return, I help them do their charitable projects overseas. I’ve gone from running one school to helping oversee the construction of schools in twenty-one countries!
小題1:
What did the writer expect to do after he retired?

A．To write some great books.

B．To stay away from busy schedules.

C．To teach his grandchildren.

D．To plan for his future.

小題2:
Why did the writer decide to go to Jamaica?

A．He wasn’t satisfied with his retired life.

B．He couldn’t refuse his colleague’s favor.

C．He was concerned about the people there.

D．He missed his students in that country.

小題3:
The underlined part “the tables have turned” (Paragraph 5) most probably means that the writer ______.

A．improved the situation in his school

B．felt happy to work with students again

C．changed his attitude toward his retirement

D．became a learner rather than a teacher

小題4:
What does the writer think of his retired life now?

A．Meaningful.	B．Troublesome.
C．Relaxing.	D．Disappointing.