This is a great truth, one of the greatest truths.
It is a great truth because once we truly see this truth, we transcend（超越） it. Once we truly know that life is difficult---once we truly understand and accept it---then life is no longer difficult. Because once it is accepted, the fact that life is difficult no longer matters.
Most do not fully see this truth. Instead they complain about their problems and difficulties as if life should be easy. It seems to them that difficulties represent a special kind of suffering especially forced upon them or else upon their families, their class, or even their nation.
What makes life difficult is that the process of facing and solving problems is a painful one.  Problems, depending on their nature, cause us sadness, or loneliness or regret or anger or fear. These are uncomfortable feelings, often as painful as any kind of physical pain. And since life causes an endless series of problems, life is always difficult and is full of pain as well as joy.
Yet, it is in this whole process of solving problems that life has its meaning. Problems are the serious test that tells us success from failure. When we desire to encourage the growth of human spirit, we encourage the human ability to solve problems, just as in school we set problems for our children to solve. It is through the pain of meeting and working out problems that we learn. As Benjamin Franklin said, those things that hurt, instruct. It is for this reason that wise people learn not to fear but to welcome the pain of problems.
小題1:From the passage, it can be inferred that ______.               

A．everybody has problems

B．we become stronger by meeting and solving the problems of life

C．life is difficult because our problems bring us pain

D．people like to complain about their problems

小題2:The writer probably used just one short sentence in the first paragraph to ______.

A．save space	B．persuade readers
C．get readers’ attention	D．make readers laugh

小題3:According to the passage, we give school children difficult problems to solve in order to______.

A．teach them to fear the pain of solving the problem

B．encourage them to learn

C．help them learn to deal with pain

D．teach them how to respect from problems

小題4:The main idea of Paragraph 3 is that ______.

A．most people feel life is easy

B．most people complain about how hard their lives are

C．the writer feels life is easy

D．the writer likes to complain about his problems

I have a friend named Monty Roberts. He has let me use his horse ranch(養(yǎng)馬場(chǎng))to put on events to raise money for youth at risk programs.
Last time I was there he introduced me by saying, “I want to tell you why I let you use my house. It all goes back to a story about a young man who was the son of an itinerant(流動(dòng)的)horse trainer. When he was a senior, he was asked to write a paper about what he wanted to be when he grew up.”
“That night he wrote a seven-page paper describing his goal of owning a horse ranch someday. He put all his heart into the project and wrote about his dream in great detail. He even drew a diagram of a 200-acre ranch, showing the location of the buildings, stables and the track, and even a detailed floor plan for a 4000-square-foot house on it.”
“The next day he handed it in to his teacher. Two days later ,he received a large red “F” on his paper with a note, ‘See me after class.’ The boy went to see the teacher and asked why. The teacher told him there was no way for a young boy like him to do that because owning a horse ranch required much money and resources, and then added ‘If you’ll rewrite his paper with a more realistic goal, I will reconsider your grade.’”
“The boy went home and thought about it long and hard. He asked his father what to do. His father said, ‘Look, son, you have to make up your own mind on this. However, I think it’s a very important decision for you.’”
“Finally, a week later, the boy turned in the same paper without any change and stated, ‘You can keep the F and I’ll keep my dream.’”
“I tell you this story because you are sitting in my 4000-square-foot house in the middle of my 200-acre horse ranch. I still have that school paper framed over the fireplace.”
Don’t let anyone steal your dreams. Follow your heart, no matter what.
小題1: The teacher gave him an “F” for his written paper because the
teacher thought 　　    .

A．he didn’t do a good job in his studies

B．he described an unrealistic goal in his paper

C．he came from an itinerant horse trainer’s family

D．he wrote his paper without the help of his father

小題2: Why did the boy turn in the same paper without any change?

A．Because he made up his mind to stick to his dream.

B．Because his father stopped him from rewriting it.

C．Because he was angry about his teacher’s words.

D．Because he had put too much of his heart into it.

小題3: From the story we can infer that the boy was actually 　　    .

A．Monty himself	B．the author himself
C．Monty’s friend	D．a(chǎn)n unknown person

小題4: According to the passage, the following statements are true EXCEPT
that 　　    .

A．the boy was very interested in having a horse ranch of his own

B．the boy might have got a higher grade if he’d rewritten his paper

C．the boy succeeded in turning his dream into reality in the end

D．the boy wouldn’t have reached his goal without his father’s support

小題5: The author wrote this passage mainly to 　　    

A．tell people how to describe their goals

B．warn people against dream stealers

C．encourage people to stick to their dreams

D．teach people how to write their papers

Little Bit
"Meow, meow, meow," is what I heard as I walked. I went to the noise and found there was a
  36  black and white cat under a piece of wood. I picked him up and   37  he must be freezing to death. I   38  home with the cat held in my jacket.
My new best friend, who soon became known as Little Bit, received his name because he was almost     39     when I held him in my hands. He stood about five inches tail. Little Bit' s small size had a great advantage -- he   40  perfectly in the pocket of my jacket, which made  41  him everywhere very easy. Any time I was home, he wouldn' t leave my   42  . He was always eager to play with me. When I fell asleep at night, he would always roll up around my head to keep me   43 .
Unfortunately, I grew up. My teenage life   44  my relationship with Little Bit. I lived at such a fast pace (節(jié)奏) that I stopped making time for him. My free time was spent with my   45      instead. I would come in the house on my phone and not   46  him at all. His meows became an annoyance to me, but it wasn' t his fault that he   47  his best friend back.
Time had caused a   48  to Little Bit. His body began shutting down and by the time I realized   49  was wrong with him, he had already lost his balance. He lay there and looked at me, and   50  this day I still remember the  51  look in his bright green eyes. I took him to the vet (獸醫(yī)), but there was nothing he could do. The last time I   52  him he wasn' t the same tiny cat I had found ten years before. Little Bit filled my arms and he was put to sleep that day.
Little Bit' s  53  made me realize how much he meant to me. He was always there for me when I   54  him. I regret our last years together and I feel sorry for not always being there for him. I will always   55  the special memories we made.

小題1:	A．lovely B．tiny C．pretty D．friendly

小題2:	A．a(chǎn)greed B．remembered C．realized D．proved

小題3:	A．left B．stayed C．drove D．hurried

小題4:	A．weightless B．useless C．breathless D．hopeless

小題5:	A．grew B．fitted C．played D．existed

小題6:	A．showing B．keeping C．taking D．putting

小題7:	A．pocket B．heart C．mind D．side

小題8:	A．quiet B．a(chǎn)sleep C．safe D．warm

小題9:	A．weakened B．built C．deepened D．sharpened

小題10:

A．friends B．computer C．parents D．relatives

小題11:

A．find B．feed C．notice D．hear

小題12:

A．pulled B．won C．wanted D．permitted

小題13:

A．fear B．loss C．a(chǎn)ccident D．concern

小題14:

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

小題15:

A．before B．until C．during D．for

小題16:

A．shameful B．serious C．long D．sorrowful

小題17:

A．helped B．met C．held D．doubted

小題18:

A．illness B．death C．sadness D．story

小題19:

A．needed B．caught C．protected D．picked

小題20:

A．treasure B．a(chǎn)dmire C．remind D．explore

Mobile phones are everywhere in big cities. It seems that   36  can survive without one. Mobile phones are a great   37  to stay connected with friends and family.   38  , it is important to remember that there are certain times   39  you should not be using your phone, especially as a student, during school.
__40  you are in class, you should not be sending your friends text messages   41 taking phone calls. Your classmates and teacher should not have to deal with this rude   42  . Aren’t you at school to learn?
In the United States, students would never be allowed to   43  their mobile phones during class. If you were to send or   44  a text message you would probably be kicked   45_ class. It is very disturbing to hear a lot of tones and ringing during   46 . There are many more rules for mobile phone use in America and it is to   47  respect for those around you.
As a teacher in China, I have to   48  students using mobile phones every day. I have told my class to   49  their phones, but many students do not listen. The   50  to be connected all the time seems to be more   51  than the desire to learn.
It’s easy to understand   52  it is so tempting(誘惑人的) to have your phone on during class. It seems so easy just to send a short text message; it’s not hurting anyone, is it? But you may actually be hurting   53  when you do this. Your teacher knows when you use your phone and may give you a   54  grade. Sending a text message also takes your attention away from what’s going on in class, you may   55  something important.

小題1:	A．one B．somebody C．someone D．no one

小題2:	A．way B．road C．method D．path

小題3:	A．But B．However C．So D．Therefore

小題4:	A．which B．that C．when D．where

小題5:	A．After B．Before C．Because D．If

小題6:	A．or B．a(chǎn)nd C．a(chǎn)s well as D．instead of

小題7:	A．a(chǎn)ct B．a(chǎn)ction C．habit D．behavior

小題8:	A．have B．take C．use D．send

小題9:	A．receive B．a(chǎn)ccept C．make D．get

小題10:

A．of B．off C．out D．out of

小題11:

A．school B．class C．office D．home

小題12:

A．a(chǎn)sk B．suggest C．show D．a(chǎn)nswer

小題13:

A．do B．deal C．do with D．deal with

小題14:

A．turn on B．turn down C．turn off D．turn in

小題15:

A．desire B．wish C．hope D．expect

小題16:

A．possible B．important C．necessary D．interesting

小題17:

A．why B．what C．that D．whether

小題18:

A．himself B．herself C．ourselves D．yourself

小題19:

A．lower B．higher C．better D．upper

小題20:

A．forget B．remember C．miss D．leave

I’m lying on my back in my grandfather’s orchard (果園)，looking up at the branches above me. It is one of the last days of summer. Already the days are shorter and the nights are cooler. Some kinds of apples are already ripe(成熟的).Others will be ready to pick soon. I think of my grandmother’s apple pie，and how I used to make it with her. She died last year，before the apple harvest，and I have not had her pie since. I really miss her. I hear bees busily humming about，visiting the late summer flowers. The gentle hum of their wings nearly sends me to sleep.
The sky is as blue as my grandfather’s eyes. Above me，big white clouds race across the sky like pieces of cotton blowing in the wind. School starts in another week，and time seems to have slowed down.
“Sophie！” calls my grandfather. “Is that you？”I stand up，take his hand，and tell him all about my day as we walk through the orchard. We talk about apples，and bees，and Grandma. He tells me that he misses her too.
He puts his rough，brown farmer’s hand around my shoulder and pulls me close. “You know，Sophie，”he says，“I spent the morning in the attic(閣樓)，and you’ll never guess what I found. It’s the recipe (烹飪法) for Grandma’s apple pie. I used to help her make it sometimes. I can’t do it all alone，but you used to help her too. Maybe between the two of us，we can work it out. Want to try？”
“But it won’t be the same without Grandma，” I tell him.
“That’s true，”he says，“but nothing is the same without Grandma. Still，I don’t think that she would want us never to have another apple pie. What do you say？” I nod yes，and we walk towards home...towards an afternoon in the farmhouse kitchen，making Grandma’s famous apple pie.
小題1:We learn from the passage that Sophie          .

A．likes to watch clouds in the attic

B．comes to the orchard after school

C．enjoys Grandma’s apple pie very much

D．picks many apples in the orchard

小題2:Sophie’s grandfather spent the morning in the attic        .

A．looking for Grandma’s recipe for apple pie

B．helping Sophie’s grandmother make apple pie

C．trying to make apple pie all alone for Sophie

D．talking about apples，and bees，and Grandma with Sophie

小題3:The underlined  part in the last paragraph shows          .

A．how much Sophie’s grandmother loved Sophie

B．how much Sophie’s grandfather likes apple pies

C．how much Sophie loves her grandfather’s orchard

D．how much Sophie’s grandfather misses Grandma

小題4:Which of the following might be the best title for the passage?

A．My grandfather’s orchard	B．My grandmother’s apple pie
C．A morning in the attic	D．The last days of summer

People who like travelling have their reasons. They believe that travelling can help them expand their field of view，especially in the geographical and historical sense. They also think that touring will give them more chances to enjoy different kinds of food and experience new things that would never be brought by other activities. But those who dislike travelling also have some reasons.
Travelling，in my opinion，does more good than harm. Most importantly，it broadens(使擴(kuò)大)our mind. We can get in touch with other civilizations(文明)，cultures，customs and ideas.
Through history，most people travelled because of necessity(必要性)－not for pleasure. People travelled just in order to remain alive. They searched for food to eat or places to live in. They sometimes ran away from enemies. This is not to say that no one ever travelled just for fun of it. In ancient times，for example，rich Romans travelled all the ways to Greece to take part in the Olympic Games，and festivals. Of course，some people decided to travel just out of curiosity(好奇心).They wanted to find out what it looked like beyond the horizon(地平線).Also business travel has been going on for centuries. Traders could not only make money but also learn to speak several languages and be introduced to different cultures.
So，travelling does enrich our mind and draw new ideas to us. There is no doubt that we can get much from it.
小題1:The underlined word “expand” in Paragraph 1 can be replaced by“___________ ”.

A．widen

B．protect

C．lose

D．decide

小題2:According to the passage，in the past most people traveled____________.

A．for fun

B．for knowledge

C．to get experiences

D．to make a living

小題3:How many reasons for travelling are mentioned in Paragraph 3 ?

A．Three.

B．Four.

C．Five.

D．Six.

小題4:What’s the main idea of this passage?

A．Different kinds of travelling.

B．Travelling enriches our mind.

C．Ways to enjoy yourself while travelling.

D．The advantages and disadvantages of travelling.

Have you ever thought of taking a train and having an adventure(奇遇)？Riding the train can be a real adventure. That is how I feel every time I take Amtrak. I often take a four－h(huán)our trip to visit my children. Every time I take this trip I never know what will happen.
Last week when I was on the train and over an hour into the train ride，there was a man sitting by himself in the back of the train carrying on a mobile phone conversation－in another language. It was loud and disturbed most of the people on the train. I think it was annoying.
Fortunately I sat next to a wonderful old lady who was taking a two－day trip by train. She said her two daughters were distraught at the thought of her driving for three days to reach her home，although she had no trouble driving. The train ride was the only choice for her. She loved to look out of the window and watch the world go by on the train.
She was fun to talk to and asked me when my children started being parents. That is a very good question. Both of us are old and have children. She asked that same question from time to time.
There are always many people on the train from all walks of life，different countries，and many  languages. Riding the train is a great way to increase your knowledge and take in all kinds of cultures. If you get hungry，you can buy food in the food car at any time. If you need to use the restroom there is always one available.
It sure beats driving the car，which has to stop for food and restrooms. And it is better than taking the bus.
小題1:According to the passage，the purpose of the author’s train ride was    .

A．to do business	B．to see her children
C．to visit places of interest	D．to see her old friends

小題2:Which of the following is the closest in meaning to the underlined word “distraught” in Paragraph 3?

A．Disappointed.

B．Satisfied.

C．Worried.

D．Pleased.

小題3:Which of the following is TRUE about the old lady sitting next to the author?

A．She is too old to drive now.

B．She does not like to take trains.

C．Although she is old，she has a good memory.

D．Her daughters live far away from her home.

小題4:What is the best title for this passage?

A．Train ride－a cultural experience	B．A painful experience on the train
C．The history of Amtrak	D．A wonderful lady

George selected his food in Value Mart carefully. He estimated he had ___36___ 80 cents today. He was pleased he had got good ___37___ for his money again.
At the exit, the freezing wind ___38___ him of his gloves. He was sure he was wearing them when entering the___39___. He made a search of his pockets. Then he thought they must have been ___40___ somewhere in the store. George had bought the black gloves for ＄35 ten years ago. They were leather, soft and durable. Until then, he had worn cheaper man-made material that never lasted long. His ___41___ to buy the gloves turned out to be good, which even ___42___ his position on the bus, as poorer passengers stared at him ___43___.
George re-entered the store. He followed the same ___44___ he had walked before, ___45___ at the bread counter, to the dairy section, the shelf where salt and sugar were placed. It did not take long to be ___46___ that the gloves were not there. His ___47___ grew heavier.“People have changed”,he ___48___ .“Years ago, if somebody ___49___ something lost, they would give it back.”
Yet he did not give up .This time he focused on the gloves on other shoppers’ ___50___ .Suddenly he ___51___ a lady nearby wearing a black pair of gloves. He said“Hi !”But when the surprised lady returned his ___52___, his eyes dropped to the floor, for the fingers of her gloves were too small for him.
Without gloves, he had to ___53___ his hands into his sleeves. Back home, George was ___54___. He could not do without gloves. George decided to buy another leather pair. But before that, he stepped into Value Mart again to see if by any ___55___ his gloves hand been returned to the lost and found office. The girl looked into her drawer and took out a pair of men’s leather gloves.“Are they ?” 
“Yes ! Mine !”George shouted with joy.

小題1:	A．had B．wasted C．spent D．saved

小題2:	A．quality B．value C．score D．number

小題3:	A．informed B．warned C．reminded D．remembered

小題4:	A．store B．counter C．flat D．square

小題5:	A．forgotten B．taken C．dropped D．rejected

小題6:	A．hope B．decision C．wish D．opportunity

小題7:	A．pulled B．promoted C．reduced D．pushed

小題8:	A．enviously B．a(chǎn)ngrily C．sincerely D．properly

小題9:	A．road B．entrance C．gate D．route

小題10:

A．staring B．starting C．stopping D．looking

小題11:

A．relaxed B．ignored C．convinced D．rushed

小題12:

A．heart B．eyes C．legs D．body

小題13:

A．exchanged B．discussed C．whispered D．a(chǎn)rgued

小題14:

A．picked out B．picked up C．made out D．made up

小題15:

A．hands B．baskets C．pockets D．fingers

小題16:

A．prevented B．recognized C．noticed D．cursed

小題17:

A．a(chǎn)nger B．greeting C．emotion D．description

小題18:

A．spread B．extend C．wave D．shrink

小題19:

A．serious B．proud C．upset D．cautious

小題20:

A．chance B．probability C．means D．terms

In 490 B.C. the Greek messenger,  Pheidippides , ran about 40 kilometers from the town of “Marathon”to  Athens to announce the victory of  Athens over Macedon . Since then ,the 42–kilometer “Marathon”race has become a great test for athletes. However, for many years  , only men were allowed to run  this  race ,  because the distance was said to be unbearable for women. In 1966, an   American  women named Roberta Gibb proved that idea wrong.
Gibb had always enjoyed running .One day in 1964 , she saw the Boston Marathon happening as she was running in the woods. Since running meant a lot to her, she began training harder , hoping to join the marathon some day.
Gibb finally applied to run in the 1966 Boston Marathon, but she was not given entrance because the Boston Marathon Association considered that women were not strong enough to run 42  kilometers . Yet, this was no obstacle to Gibb, for she knew she had the physical and mental strength to complete the race .On the day the 1966 Boston Marathon was held , Gibb hid in the bushes and jumped into the race when it began. She finished the race in 3 hours and 21 minutes, defeating two thirds of the men in the race and proving that women could run the marathon.
Although what Gibb did was only to realize her dream, in doing so she showed the world that women could accomplish greater things than many people believed they could.
小題1:why were women forbidden to run the 42–km marathon ?

A．Training was only provided for men .

B．Women could not work as messengers.

C．Women were believed too weak to finish it.

D．It was a race held only for professional athletes

小題2:What  did  Roberta Gibb do to prepare herself for the  Boston Marathon ?

A．She dressed herself as a man.

B．She trained herself harder than before.

C．She found a job in the Boston Marathon Association .

D．She hid in the bushes, waiting for the end of the race.

小題3:What happened to Gibb in the 1966 Boston Marathon?

A．Her application wasn’t accepted.

B．She was asked to train harder .

C．Her determination amazed people.

D．She was welcome to run the race.

小題4:According to the text ,what can we learn from  Roberta Gibb’s story?

A．Most women ran slower than men in marathons.

B．Joining marathons is the best way to prove one’s strength.

C．It takes at least two years to train to become a marathon runner.

D．Women may be able to achieve greater things than they’re expected.

Angry Birds is a video game developed by Finnish computer game developer Rovio Mohile. Inspired primarily by a sketch of stylized wingless birds, the game was first released for Apple’s mobile operating system in December 2009.Since then, over 12 million copies of the game have been purchased from Apple’s App Store.
With its fast-growing popularity worldwide, the game and its characters---angry birds and their enemy pigs---have appeared in television programs throughout the world. The Israeli comedy A Wonderful Country ,one of the nation’s most popular TV programs, satirized(諷刺) recent failed Israeli-Palestinian peace attempts by featuring the Angry Birds in peace negotiations with the pigs. Clips of the segment (片段)went viral, getting viewers from all around the world. American television hosts Conan O’Brien ,Jon Steward ,and Daniel Tosh have referenced the game in comedy sketches for their programs, Conan, The Daily Show, and Dash. O. Some of the game’s more famous fans include Prime Minister David Cameron of UK, who plays the iPad version of the game, and author Salman Rushdie, who is believed to be “something of a master at Angry Birds.”
Angry Birds and its characters have also been featured in advertisements in different forms. In March 2011,the characters began appearing in a series of advertisements for Microsoft’s Bing search engine. In the same year, Nokin produced an advertisement in Austin, Texas that included the game’s characters on a downtown building for its new mobile phone. Later, a T-Mobile advertisement filmed in Spain included a real-life mock-up(實(shí)物模擬)of the game in a city center .Nokin also used the game in Malaysia to promote an attempt to set a world record for the largest number of people playing a single mobile game.
Angry Birds has even inspired works of philosophical analogy（哲學(xué)類比）.A five-part essay with the title“ Angry Birds Yoga（瑜伽）---How to Eliminate the Green  Pigs in Your Life” was written by Giridhari Dasar in Brazil ,utilizing the characters and game play mechanics to interpret various concepts of yoga philosophy. The piece attracted much media attention for its unique method of philosophical presentation.
小題1:What is the purpose of the passage?

A．To explain how the video game Angry Birds was devised.

B．To investigated why Angry Birds has quickly become well-liked.

C．To introduce Angry Birds characters in TV programs and advertisements.

D．To report on the spread of Angry Birds in different media around the world .

小題2:Which of the following is closed in meaning to the word “viral “in Paragraph 2?   

A．a(chǎn)pparent

B．popular

C．exciting

D．disgusting

小題3:According to the text, Which of the following persons is good at playing Angry Birds?

A．Salman Rushdie

B．Conan O’Brien

C．Giridhari Dasar

D．Daniel Tosh

小題4:Which of the following is TRUE about the use of Angry Birds according to the text?

A．It has been used by UK Prime Minister to explain political issues.

B．Its characters are used in advertisements mainly for Apple’s products.

C．It has been developed into a film about the life of a Brazilian yoga master.

D．Its real-life mock-up has appeared in an advertisement for mobile phones.