Mary Cassatt is one of the first great women American painters. At first her father did not want her to become an artist. But she followed her dreams and became an artist.She was born on
May 22, 1844, and lived in Europe for several years as a child.
Her family returned to the United States and, at age 16, Mary attended the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. Four years later she decided she couldn't learn anything fresh and practical in Philadelphia, so she returned to Europe. There she studied the skills of the masters in Rome, Seville, Antwerp, and Paris.
Mary received the chance of a lifetime at the age of 33 when the famous French painter, Edgar Degas, asked her to join a group of painters that included now-famous artists like Manet and Renoir. Their style of painting is called Impressionism. They used primary colors and short brush strokes(筆畫) in their work. They recognized Mary 's spirit and powerful talent and invited her to exhibit in the Impressionist art shows.
Mary painted what she saw: gardens, and paintings of persons , especially of mothers and children involved in everyday living. One of her paintings, "Young Mother and Two Children," was given to the White House in 1954 where it hangs today.
Mary never married and, in 1877, her parents and sister moved to Europe to join her. Mary devoted much of her time to them for the next 18 years to their care. Mary painted until 1914 when her failing eyesight made it impossible to continue. She spent the later years of her life in Paris. She died in 1926 at the age of 82. Unfortunately,all her life, she refused to accept students.
小題1:Mary left Pennsylvania for Europe at age 20 mainly because_____.

A．she wanted to learn another style of paintings

B．she didn’t learn anything in Pennsylvania

C．her desire for the learning wasn’t satisfied well

D．her father didin’t want her to learn painting again

小題2:Which year was the most critical to her career and life?

A．1860

B．1864

C．1877

D．1914

小題3:Which of the statements about Mary Cassatt is supported by the passage?

A．Her father had a decisive effect on her painting

B．Her painting featured scenes of everyday living

C．She used various colors and long lines in her works

D．She studied the paintings of the masters in U.S.A

小題4:Mary Cassatt stopping painting because of_____.

A．her poor eyesight

B．her old age

C．lack of interest

D．her family

小題5:It can be inferred from the passage that _____.

A．during the last ten year of life, she painted nothing.

B．the paintings of Edgar Degas belong to realism

C．her works were controversial though highly recognized

D．her students showed great respect for her

John Steinbeck once said, “All American believe they are born fishermen. For a man to admit to a distaste in fishing would be like speaking publicly against mother-love or hating moonlight”.
I can’t say I’m the biggest John Steinbeck fan. Actually, the only thing I can ever remember reading by him was “The Pearl” when I was in middle school, but I couldn’t agree more with the man when it comes to fishing. When I am on a boat in the middle of the lay Lake, fishing off the shores of the Florida Keys for tarpon or catching rainbow trout in the Shoshone River of Wyoming. Fishing is my life.
According to the American Sports Fishing Association, the fishing industry brings in more than $ 116 billion per year from fishermen across the country.
Though a beautiful picture to imagine, fishing is much more than that. Fishing is a way of life from many people and a way to escape everyday stress. Being a fisherman makes me a member of a wonderful group of people extending to all walks of life. Even President Bush can be found fishing on his farm in Texas with his good friend Roland Martin when the jobs gets too stressful.
I can remember fishing with my grandfather when I was 5 years old on his boat at Lake Michel. Although I didn’t understand what I was doing, I did know that my grandfather was happy and that made me happy. Since then I’ve spent the past 16 years on the rivers and lakes of Alabama.
After days of practice, before and after work, I slowly developed an understanding of fishing. My boss, Ric Horst, took me back to the Shoshone, and I managed to bring in a 19-inch cutthroat trout. Fishing with Ric was a life-changing experience for me. He not only showed me how to fish correctly, but also told me how fishing could be a way to escape your problems.
Since then, prime-time season seems to take forever to arrive.
Now, with the ending of February and beginning of March is sight, the excitement of heading out to Lake Tus caloosa or Lake Lurleen before classes and catching something has finally returned.
小題1:What John Steinbeck said in the first paragraph implies that ______

A．American are believed to be the offspring of fishermen.

B．it is unthinkable for an American to admit his dislike of fishing.

C．a(chǎn)ll American are expert at fishing.

D．those who dislike fishing would not love their mother.

小題2:The writer came to understand the real meaning of fishing ______.

A．when he was reading “The Pearl” by John Steinbeck

B．when he went fishing with his grandfather at Lake Mitchell

C．a(chǎn)fter he had spent 16 years on the rivers and lakes of Alabama

D．a(chǎn)fter he went fishing with his boss, Ric Horst on the Shoshone

小題3:According to the author, ______.

A．people can get to know VIPs when fishing

B．people can smooth away all the troubles by fishing

C．fishing is a way of communication

D．fishing is a way of life for most American people

小題4:What is the purpose of the writing?

A．To describe the writer’s experience and understanding of fishing.

B．To explain the reason why so many Americans like fishing.

C．To make others understand the industry of fishing.

D．To express his opinions about fishing in different time of the year.

Imagine being the only person in the Forbidden City. You could stay there all day without swarms of people crowding around. You'd be able to look at the ancient treasures without worrying about other visitors pushing you for a better view. Well, in two years time you'll be able to have such an experience, just like the former emperors used to. The only difference is that your Forbidden City fun will be online.
Thanks to new technology, a virtual tour of the Forbidden City will be available online by 2008. The project － jointly driven by the Palace Museum and computer company IBM － aims to help teenagers around the world become more interested in Chinese culture. The project will offer an interactive, three-dimensional view of the palace. The virtual tour will provide images from all over the 780,000-square-metre palace.
"The Palace Museum is a big book; there are always places you haven't read about," said Hu Chui from the museum. There are many rooms closed for protection. But the virtual platform breaks the boundaries of time and space, meaning visitors can see whatever they want. "The interaction and games content in the virtual tour will attract more young people to understand and love our cultural heritage," added Hu.
In the virtual tour, historical figures will actually talk to visitors and answer their questions. The stories behind the buildings and treasures will also be told. "The online environment, presented in both Chinese and English, enables visitors to experience the culture and stories of the museum," said James Yeh, an IBM official.
小題1: If you visit the Forbidden City now, which of the following won’t be the case you’ll have?

A．It is crowed with a lot of visitors.	B．Visitors are pushing you for a better view.
C．You are the only person in it.	D．You can see some ancient treasures in it.

小題2:Which of the following is not the advantage of the virtual tour of the Forbidden City?

A．Visitors can see whatever they want.

B．Visitor can ask and talk to historical figures.

C．Visitors can get to know the cultural heritage by playing games.

D．Visitors can walk around the Forbidden City with your family.

小題3: The “project” underlined in paragraph 2 refers to ______.

A．a(chǎn) virtual tour of the Forbidden City

B．a(chǎn) new “Forbidden City” to be built by the Palace Museum and IBM computer company

C．a(chǎn)n Internet cafe to be built in the Palace Museum

D．a(chǎn) big book to be published to introduce Chinese culture

小題4:What attracts teenagers most to the virtual tour is _____.

A．the visible pictures in the place

B．the interaction and game playing

C．the online environment presented in English

D．the platform without the boundaries of time and space

“Keep an eye on Esther. I’ll be back in a second,” Joy Warren said to her three-year-old son Stephen, who was sitting in the back of the Buick. She didn’t like leaving the children alone in the car, but the baby was sleeping soundly. And it would only be a moment.
She had hardly walked 40 yards when she saw the car moving. It headed straight towards the river. Unable to swim, Joy shouted, “My babies are in that car!”
Daniel Whitehead, a 17-year-old student, was walking by the river when the Buick crashed into the water just yards ahead .Without thinking, Daniel jumped in. Though a competitive swimmer, he was shocked by the icy chill.  
Two minutes earlier, Skip Womack had pulled to a halt as the Buick ran in front of him. Now seeing it hit the water and hearing Joy’s cries, Skip got out of his truck and jumped into the water. He had only one thought: If I don’t get them out, they’ll drown.
Daniel reached the car and grabbed a door handle. But the water was only four inches beneath the window, and the door wouldn’t open. With one powerful punch, Daniel and Skip broke a window. Daniel reached inside and lifted Stephen out. He placed him on his back and set out for shore. At the same time, Skip squeezed himself through the window .He managed to free Esther from beneath her seat belt. After he got out of the car with the baby, he held her over the water and swam toward the shore. All this took place just seconds before the Buick disappeared beneath the water.
Later, driving home, Skip thought of his wife and children—how close he’d come to leaving them behind. He thought of the miracle he’d lived through, and how two children were still alive because he and Daniel happened to be in the right place at the right time.
小題1:Why did Joy leave her children in the car?

A．He did not like shopping with a child in hand.

B．She didn’t like waking up her baby.

C．Stephen was big enough to take care of his sister.

D．It was icy cold outside.

小題2:Daniel and Skip, who saved the lives of the two kids, _____.

A．had been good friends

B．were two close friends of Joy Warren’s

C．were Joy Warren’s neighbors

D．were strangers before the accident

小題3:How did Daniel get Stephen out of danger?

A．He squeezed into the car and carried him out.

B．He pulled him out through the broken window.

C．He freed him from his seatbelt before he got him out.

D．He held him over the water and swam back to shore.

小題4:What happened to Joy Warren’s Buick?

A．It had four inches of water in it.

B．One of its windows could not be opened.

C．It was pulled out of water and set on the shore.

D．It sank to the bottom of the river.

小題5:How did Skip feel in his way home?

A．He felt lucky to be still alive after having saved the lives of two kids.

B．He missed his wife and children, whom he left behind in the morning.

C．He felt very thankful to Daniel, without whom he would not have made it.

D．He wondered how he and Daniel could be in the right place at the right time.

Many years ago, when I was fresh out of school and working in Denver, I was driving to my parents' home in Missouri for Christmas. I stopped at a gas station(加油站)about 50 miles from Oklahoma City, where I was planning to stop and visit a friend. While I was standing in line at the cash register(收款臺), I said hello to an older couple who were also paying for gas.
I took off, but had gone only a few miles when black smoke poured from the back of my car. I stopped and wondered what I should do. A car pulled up behind me. It was the couple I had spoken to at the gas station. They said they would take me to my friend's. We chatted on the way into the city, and when I got out of the car, the husband gave me his business card.
I wrote him and his wife a thank-you note for helping me. Soon afterward, I received a Christmas present from them. Their note that came with it said that helping me had made their holidays meaningful.
Years later, I drove to a meeting in a nearby town in the morning. In late afternoon I returned to my car and found that I'd left the lights on all day, and the battery(電池)was dead. Then I noticed that the Friendly Ford dealership - a shop selling cars - was right next door. I walked over and found two salesmen in the showroom.
"Just how friendly is Friendly Ford?" I asked and explained my trouble. They quickly drove a pickup truck to my car and started it. They would accept no payment, so when I got home, I wrote them a note to say thanks. I received a letter back from one of the salesmen. No one had ever taken the time to write him and say thank you, and it meant a lot, he said.
"Thank you" - two powerful words. They're easy to say and mean so much.
小題1:The author planned to stop at Oklahoma City_________.

A．to visit a friend

B．to see his parents

C．to pay at the cash register

D．to have more gas for his car

小題2:The words “took off” underlined in Paragraph 2 mean “______”.

A．turned off

B．moved off

C．put up

D．set up

小題3: What happened when the author found smoke coming out of his car?

A．He had it pulled back to the gas station.

B．The couple sent him a business card.

C．The couple offered to help him.

D．He called his friend for help.

小題4:The battery of the author’s car was dead because_______.

A．something went wrong with the lights

B．the meeting lasted a whole day

C．he forgot to turn off the lights

D．he drove too long a distance

小題5:By telling his own experiences, the author tries to show______.

A．how to write a thank-you letter

B．how to deal with car problems

C．the kind-heartedness of older people

D．the importance of expressing thanks

James Cleveland Owens was the son of a farmer and the grandson of black slaves. His family moved to Cleveland when he was 9. There, a school teacher asked the youth his name.
“J. C.” , he replied.  
She thought he had said “Jesse”, and he had a new name.
Owens ran his first race at age 13. After high school, he went to Ohio State University. He had to work part time so as to pay for his education. As a second-year student, in the Big Ten games in 1935, he set even more records than he would in the Olympic Games a year later.
A week before the Big Ten meet, Owens accidentally fell down a flight of stairs. His back hurt so much that he could not exercise all week, and he had to be helped in and out of the car that drove him to the meet. He refused to listen to the suggestions that he give up and said he would try, event by event. He did try, and the results are in the record book.
The stage was set for Owens’ victory at the Olympic Games in Berlin the next year, and his success would come to be regarded as not only athletic (體育的) but also political. Hitler did not congratulate any of the African-American winners.
“It was all right with me,” he said years later. “I didn’t go to Berlin to shake hands with him, anyway.”
Having returned from Berlin, he received no telephone call from the president of his own country, either. In fact, he was not honored by the United States until 1976, four years before his death.
Owens’ Olympic victories made little difference to him. He earned his living by looking after a school playground, and accepted money to race against cars, trucks, motorcycles, and dogs.
“Sure, it bothered (煩擾) me,” he said later. “But at least it was an honest living had to eat.”
In time, however, his gold medals (獎牌) changed his life. “They have kept me alive over the years,” he once said. “Time has stood still for me. That golden moment dies hard.”
小題1:Owens got his other name “Jesse” when _______.
A. he went to Ohio State University
B. his teacher made fun of him
C. his teacher took “J. C.” for “Jesse”
D. he won gold medals in the Big Ten meet
小題2: In the Big Ten meet, Owens _______.

A．hurt himself in the back	B．succeeded in setting many records
C．tried every sports event but failed	D．had to give up some events

小題3:We can infer from the text that Owens was treated unfairly in the U.S. at that time because _______.

A．he was not of the right race	B．he was the son of a poor farmer
C．he didn’t shake hands with Hitler	D．he didn’t talk to the US president on the phone

小題4:When Owens says “They have kept me alive over the years”, he means that the medals ________.

A．have been changed for money to help him live on

B．have made him famous in the U.S.

C．have encouraged him to overcome difficulties in life

D．have kept him busy with all kinds of jobs

小題5:Which of the following is a suitable title for the text?

A．Jesse Owens, a Great American Athlete

B．Golden Moment—a Life-time Struggle

C．Making a Living as a Sportsman

D．How to Be a Successful Athlete

American agricultural scientist Norman Borlaug has received the Congressional Gold Medal.
Norman Borlaug is often called "the man who saved a billion lives" and "the father of the Green Revolution."
His work helped fight starvation in India and Pakistan in the nineteen sixties. He won the nineteen seventy Nobel Peace Prize.
He, ninety-three years old ,still works as an adviser at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center in Mexico.
In accepting the medal, he urged Congress and the administration to increase development assistance for agriculture. He said the world needs better and more technology to deal with hunger. In his words: "Hunger and poverty and misery are very fertile soils into which to plant all kinds of 'isms,' including terrorism."  
In the 1940s, Norman Borlaug and a team developed highly productive and disease-resistant wheat for farmers in Mexico. About twenty years later, millions of people in India and Pakistan were in danger from grain shortages.
The improved wheat from Mexico also grew well in South Asia, combined with changes in growing methods. Norman Borlaug persuaded farmers to use more fertilizers and pesticide chemicals and to water their crops with irrigation systems. Also many a crop can be planted in the same field. The results were big production gains that many believe saved as many as a billion lives.
President Bush noted that hunger still affects much of the developing world. He said the most fitting honor for Norman Borlaug is to lead a second Green Revolution that feeds the world. Yet his support for new agricultural technologies has been criticized at times over the years.
Some researchers worry about the effects of industrial methods of modern farming.
Population researcher Paul Ehrlich, for example, wrote a nineteen sixty-eight book called
"The Population Bomb." He predicted that population growth would cause widespread harm to the planet.
But now, some people are saying there should be greater attention and respect for Norman Borlaug. A major theme of his work is that people can deal with difficulties and that technology can improve their lives.
小題1:Norman Borlaug is called “the Father of the Green Revolution” mainly lies in that_______.

A．he developed highly productive wheat to help fight against hunger

B．he made a great contribution to fighting against terrorism and hunger

C．he developed a kind of wheat that is environmentally friendly

D．he sticks to the belief that technology can improve our lives.

小題2:The best title for the passage would be________.

A．Norman Borlaug, the Father of the Green Revolution

B．Golden Moments----a Long-life Struggle

C．Hunger------a Serious Problem That Affects the Developing World.

D．Norman Borlaug, the Savior of the Developing Country.

小題3:Which of the following is NOT supported by the passage?

A．Despite his age, Norman Borlaug still works for the improvement in agriculture

B．Norman Borlaug thinks that hunger and poverty tend to breed crimes and evil

C．Without Norman Borlaug’s work, hunger problem wouldn’t completely be settled now

D．Paul Ehrlich thinks that population growth would cause widespread harm to the planet.

小題4:It can be inferred from the passage that_________.

A．Congress and the administration are to blame for hunger and poverty

B．not all people are in favor of his new agricultural technologies

C．people can defeat terrorists by improving modern farming

D．the Congressional Gold Medal is the highest civilian honor given by Congress.

Sherlock Holmes is considered by many people as the greatest detective in fictional literature. He is, in fact, more famous than his own creator, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. In the popular series of stories, Holmes is described as “tall and lean, pope-smoking, always in his cape and speaks in a splendid manner”. Doyle gave Holmes’ address as 221-B Baker Street, London, and to this day some visitors to London still go to Baker Street to search for 221-B. Of course, there never was really any such address. Holmes’ flat was supposed to be shared by the lovable, but sometimes clumsy Doctor Watson who went around with Holmes trying to solve crimes before Holmes did. Poor Dr Watson lost out to Holmes every time.
Doyle gave Holmes a masterly skill of deduction---the ability to come up with interesting conclusion from the simplest clues found at the scene of a crime. Doyle said that the description of Holmes was modeled on one of his lecturers at Edinburgh University where he studied medicine. That man was Dr Joseph Bell. Sherlock Holmes first appeared in Doyle’s A Study in Scarlet published in 1887. Holmes was so loved by all that when his author killed him off in one of his stories, readers wrote in anger to complain. They refused to allow Holmes to die! Holmes was brought back to “l(fā)ife” and appeared in further stories.  
The stories of Sherlock Holmes have been reprinted many times ever since then. Today we can watch Holmes at work on cinema and television screens as well as on stage.
小題1:Sherlock Holmes was________.

A．the greatest detective who ever lived

B．Dr Joseph Bell

C．Arthur Conan Doyle

D．only a character made up by Arthur Conan Dolye

小題2:Dr Watson was________.

A．tall and learn

B．lovable but always clumsy

C．lovable but sometimes clumsy

D．lovable and never clumsy

小題3:Holmes was supposed to have lived_______.

A．with Dr Watson	B．with Dr Joseph Bell
C．with the greatest detective	D．with Doyle

小題4:Doyle made up the description of Holmes_______.

A．from his own imagination

B．based on a famous London doctor

C．based on Dr Joseph Bell at Edinburgh University

D．based on a model of Holmes

My name is Liana Wexler. I’m 12 years old, and I am the founder of “Kids for Kerry”. “Kids for Kerry” is a grassroots organization of kids that support John Kerry, want to help their futures, and get active in politics.  
When my parents went to see Teresa Heinz Kerry speak, they told me that she was amazing! And they thought John Kerry would make a great President. I decided to find out more about John Kerry. I talk about what I learned by using my ABCs. “A” is America. John Kerry is a hero to America, and he will help our futures. He is a great and positive role model. “B” is Better education. John Kerry wants to make class sizes smaller, so that children get the best part out of learning. He wants to help teachers because being a teacher is educating children, and letting them out into the world to do the good things. “C” is Compassion（憐憫;同情） towards children. John Kerry wants to make sure that health care is not a privilege, but it is something that we can all afford. This summer, I was supposed to go to my favorite camp But instead, I decided to go to John Kerry’s office every day. Kids can really help! 
On KidsforKerry.org, we have an interactive presidential quiz. There are 270 questions for the electoral votes John Kerry will win. Plus, 25 questions to make up for Florida from the last election. Out next goal is to have a petition (請求) for “National No Name—Calling Day”, a day that the candidates don’t say anything negative about one another. When our Vice President had a disagreement with a Democratic Senator, he used a REALLY BAD word. If I said that—if I said that word, I would be put in a “time-out (暫停休息)”. I think he should be put in a time-out.
小題1:What would be the best title for this passage?

A．John Kerry	B．A letter to John Kerry
C．Kids for Kerry	D．John Kerry: Our to-be President

小題2:According to the passage we know that____.

A．only children in America want John Kerry to be their next President

B．John Kerry cares much for education but takes little compassion on teachers

C．Liana wishes John Kerry to be the President of America

D．Liana thinks John Kerry should be put in a time-out

小題3:Liana Wexler considers John Kerry to be____.

A．a(chǎn) good	B．a(chǎn) hero to America
C．a(chǎn) confident man	D．a(chǎn) persuasive speaker

小題4:Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

A．“Kids for Kerry” is a grassroots organization of kids that support whoever wins the presidential election.

B．Liana Wexler is the founder of “Kids for Kerry”

C．“Kids for Kerry” has an interactive presidential quiz on-line.

D．Education and health care are two things-with which American citizens concern themselves most.

One kilogram——that was all it took to crown（給……加冕） the world's strongest man.
German weightlifter Matthias Steiner pulled ahead of Russian rival Evgeny Chigishev to win the Olympic men's +105 kg weightlifting gold medal on Tuesday.
Steiner lifted a total of 461kg, 203kg in the snatch(抓舉) and 258kg in the clean and jerk(挺舉), to beat Chigishev by a single kilogram. The German won the battle of giants in his last lift, winning his country's first gold medal in the event at this year's Games.
Steiner's winning lift was also the last effort of the sport for this Olympics at which China earned eight of the 15 golds.
Steiner was born in Austria and represented his country of birth at the Athens Olympics four years ago, placing seventh in the lower 105kg category, but had a falling out with Austria's weightlifting federation afterwards.
He applied for German citizenship in 2005 and got married, but his career went into deep freeze（困境）as he could not compete without a passport. He finally obtained the document last January.
The German, who turns 26 on Monday, had come to these Games on a mission to win the title for his wife Susann, who died in a car accident in July last year. The German team said he used the personal tragedy to motivate himself to win the gold medal.
Chigishev was the strongest in the snatch session Tuesday. He kissed his fists after a 210-kg lift that gave him a 7-kg advantage over fourth-placed Steiner going into the second event -- the clean and jerk. He let out a victorious roar after clearing 250 kg in his last lift, but the glory was short-lived as Steiner stunned（使瞠目）everyone with his final, winning clean and jerk effort.
Steiner had finished seventh in the 2004 Olympics in the 105kg weight category, and took the gold in the 2008 European Championship +105kg snatch competition, bronze in the clean and jerk and silver overall, with a total weight of 446kg.
World champion Viktors Scerbatihs of Latvia settled for bronze.
小題1:Four years ago at the Athens Olympics Steiner represented ______.

A．Australia

B．Germany

C．Austria

D．Russia

小題2:The following statements are true except ______.

A．Steiner beat Chigishev by one kilogram

B．Chinese weightlifting team won eight of the 15 gold medals at this year’s Games

C．Steiner didn’t get the passport until last February

D．Steiner got a bronze in the 2008 European Championship +105kg clean and jerk competition

小題3:It can be inferred from the story that _____.

A．Steiner was inspired by his unfortunate wife to win the gold medal

B．Chigishev was also the strongest in the second event

C．it is hard to get a German citizenship

D．Steiner was determined to win the medal for the German team

小題4:What is the best title of the story?

A．Narrow Victory	B．Pitiful Failure
C．Gold Medal for His Dearest Wife	D．Strongest Man of the World