Adrian’s “Amazing Race” started early when his parents realized that he, as a baby, couldn’t hear a thing, not even loud noises. In a special school for the hearing-impaired (聽覺受損的)，he learned sign language and got to mix with other disabled children. However, the sight of all the disabled children communicating with one another upset his mother. She wanted him to lead a normal life. So after speaking to an advisor, she sent him to private classes where he learned to read lips and pronounce words.
Later on, Adrian’s parents decided to send him to a regular school. But the headmaster tried to prevent them from doing so, saying regular school couldn’t take care of a special needs students. His parents were determined to take the risk and push him hard to go through his work everyday because they wanted to prove that, given the opportunity, he could do anything. Adrian made the grade and got accepted. It was a big challenge. The pace（節(jié)奏）was faster so he had to sit at the front of the class and really pay attention to the teacher, which wasn’t always easy. But he stuck to it and did a lot of extra work after school.
The efforts made by Adrian and his parents paid off. Adrian graduated with good grades and got into a top high school. He also achieved a lot in life outside school. He developed a love for the outdoors and went to Nepal to climb mountains. He even entered the World Yacht Race 05/06--- being the first hearing-impaired Asian to do so.
But none of these achievements would have been possible without one of the most important lessons from his mother.” “If you believe in yourself and work hard, you can achieve great results.” She often said.
【小題1】How did Adrian communicate with other children in the special school?

A．By speaking.	B．By making loud noises.
C．By reading lips	D．By using sign language.

【小題2】Adrian’s parents decided to send him to a regular school because          .

A．they wanted to prove the headmaster wrong

B．they wanted him to live a normal life

C．he wouldn’t mix with other disabled children

D．he wasn’t taken good care of in the special school

【小題3】How did Adrian finally succeed in his study?

A．He did a lot of outdoor activities.

B．He was pushed hard to study every day.

C．He worked very hard both in and after class

D．He attended private classes after school.

【小題4】Why is Adrian’s life described as an “Amazing Race”?

A．He did very well in his study

B．He succeeded in entering a regular school

C．He reached his goals in spite of his disability

D．He took part in the World Yacht Race 05/06

Who do you think was the most important woman of the past 100 years?
Jane Addams (1860 - 1935)
Addams helped the poor and worked for peace. She created shelters, education opportunities and services for people in need. In 1931, Addams became the first American woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
Rachel Carson (1907 - 1964)
Rachel Carson was born in the rural river town of Springdale, Pennsylvania in America. The popular 1962 book “Silent Spring” by Rachel Carson made people realize the dangers and the harmful effects (影響) of pollution on humans and on the world’s lakes and oceans.
Angela Merkel (1954 -   )
In 2005, Germans chose Angela Merkel as their first woman head of the country. She had been a scientist in the past. As Germany’s leader, she has had an effect on the whole world.
Sandra Day O’Connor (1930 -   )
When Sandra Day O’Connor finished her class at Stanford Law School, in 1952, she could not find work because she was a woman. However, she became the first woman to join the U.S. Supreme Court (最高法院) in 1981 after years of hard work.
Margaret Thatcher (1925 - 2013 )
In 1979, Margaret Thatcher became Britain’s first woman Prime Minister (首相). She served until 1990, which made her the first British leader to serve three terms in a row. Because of her high standards and strong will, people called her Britain’s Iron Lady.
Marie Curie (1867-1934)
Polish-born scientist Marie Curie discovered that some types of metal give off energy called radiation (輻射能). Her research led to new medical treatments and arms. She received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903 and in Chemistry in 1911.
【小題1】Who once won the Nobel Prize?

A．Jane Addams and Marie Curie.

B．Jane Addams and Margaret Thatcher.

C．Marie Curie and Angela Merkel.

D．Marie Curie and Rachel Carson.

【小題2】We can infer from the text that Rachel Carson worked to _____.

A．help the poor

B．spread geographic knowledge

C．protect the environment

D．protect the rights of women

【小題3】What do Angela Merkel and Margaret Thatcher have in common?

A．Both of them were scientists before coming to power.

B．Both of them are the first woman head of their country.

C．Both of them are famous for being strict.

D．Both of them have worked for three terms.

A huge shire horse in Australia has been declared the biggest horse in the world by its owner , beating the current Guinness World Record（吉尼斯記錄） by several inches .
The huge five-year-old , from Pakenham , S. E Australia , measures an amazing 20.1 hands , or 2.057m tall . He weighs over 1.3 tons ( 1,300kg) — about the same as a small car — and is still growing . His owner , horse trainer Jane Greenman , 47 , says the only time the horse runs is when there is food on offer . “ He eats an unbelievable amount . I would hate to run a team of eight horses his size—it would send you broke . ” she says .
The massive horse , whose name is Noddy , was born in Australia with its parents imported from England . Noddy’s grandfather , Ladbrooke Edward (UK) was the world’s tallest horse during the 1980’s .But Jane had no idea that the horse she raised from the age of six months would grow this big . Noddy immediately began to rocket and soon overtook both his parents in size .
Although she says that she is not interested in the Guiness Book of World Records , nevertheless Jane has carried out her own research and is sure that Noddy comes top . “ The nearest is a horse in Texas , at 20 hands ,” says Jane . “ Noddy is already an inch taller than that . The frightening thing is he still hasn’t finished—shire horses aren’t fully grown until they’re about six or seven .”
Jane has said that Noddy could be sold overseas , possibly even fetching a record price to match his height . She is unwilling to sell , but to fund the high cost of keeping him she needs to put him to work . “ He needs a job . It’s very hard to find jobs for such a big horse in Australia . I wish he could stay here but I’ve tried everywhere , ” she says regretfully . “ I just want people to enjoy this beautiful animal as much as I do .”
【小題1】How old is the horse now ?

A．Six months old .	B． Five years old .
C．Two years old .	D．Six years old .

【小題2】The underlined word “ rocket ” in Paragraph 3 probably means “       ”.

A．run fast

B．eat a lot

C．grow fast

D．get strong

【小題3】Which of the following is a big problem for the horse’s owner ?

A．She doesn’t know how to apply for the Guinness World Record .

B．She has to feed eight big horses at the same time .

C．Another horse in Texas is growing even faster than hers .

D．There is not enough money to cover（支付） the cost of raising the horse .

【小題4】It can be inferred from the passage that        .

A．Noddy won’t grow any taller

B．Noddy’s growth can be genetically（基因） explained

C．many people are willing to buy Noddy

D．no job will be available for Noddy at all

【小題5】What would be the best title for this passage ?

A．Jane Greenman becomes famous for her horse

B．New world record for the biggest horse

C．Large size means no job for a big horse

D．Jane Greenman , an excellent horse trainer

Finally, I got a part – time job working at the local coffee shop. I had figured that the job would be easy. However, the actual situation was not what I had expected. The customers were hard to please. There was always too much sugar, too little ice, or not enough skimmed milk. However, I kept at it.
One rainy day, Hank, one of my regular customers, came in looking sad and defeated. I asked what the problem was and if we could help, but Hank wouldn’t tell me any details. He just said he felt like going to bed, pulling the sheets up over his head, and staying there for a few days. I knew exactly how he felt.
Before he left, I handed him a bag of his favorite type of doughnuts along with his iced coffee. He looked at me skeptically because he hadn’t ordered anything else except iced coffee.
“It’s on me,” I told him. “Have a nice day.”
He smiled and thanked me before turning around and heading back out into the rain.
The next day was a horrible one. The rain kept pouring down and I spent my afternoon hanging out the window, handing people their orders. What’s worse, no one felt like tipping that day.
However, around 7:00 pm, Hank drove up to the window. Instead of ordering anything, he handed me a single pink rose and a little note. He said that few people take the time to care about others nowadays and he was glad there were still people like me in the world. I was speechless and very touched; I hadn’t thought that I had done anything incredible.
The note read:
Christine,
Thanks for being so sweet, kind and thoughtful yesterday. I was sincerely touched by you. It is so nice to meet someone that’s nice, warm, sensitive and unselfish. Please don’t change your ways because I truly believe that you will excel. Have a great day!
Hank
Later, I did come across more complaining customers. But anytime I felt sad or just sick of coffee, I thought of Hank and his kindness. Then I would smile, hold my head up high, clear my throat and ask politely, “How can I help you?”
【小題1】How did the author feel after he began to work at the coffee shop?

A．Disappointed.

B．Confused.

C．Excited .

D．Satisfied.

【小題2】What happened to the regular customer of the author?

A．He was very sick and had to stay in bed for some days.

B．He was not satisfied with the coffee served to him.

C．He was anxious to stay at home for a long time.

D．He was not feeling himself for some reasons.

【小題3】What does the underlined word “skeptically” probably mean in the passage?

A．questioningly

B．hopefully

C．a(chǎn)nxiously

D．excitedly

【小題4】It was Hank who helped the author realize the importance of        .

A．patience in one’s work

B．being kind to regular customers

C．taking time to care about others

D．sticking to one’s own career

【小題5】What is the best title of the passage?

A．Coffee Shop Kindness	B．A Warm – hearted Man
C．My Part – time Job	D．A Horrible Raining Day

Who do you think was the most important woman of the past 100 years?
Jane Addams (1860 - 1935)
Addams helped the poor and worked for peace. She created shelters, education opportunities and services for people in need. In 1931, Addams became the first American woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
Rachel Carson (1907 - 1964)
Rachel Carson was born in the rural river town of Springdale, Pennsylvania in America. The popular 1962 book “Silent Spring” by Rachel Carson made people realize the dangers and the harmful effects of pollution on humans and on the world’s lakes and oceans.
Angela Merkel (1954 -   )
In 2005, Germans chose Angela Merkel as their first woman head of the country. She had been a scientist in the past. As Germany’s leader, she has had an effect on the whole world.
Sandra Day O’Connor (1930 -   )
When Sandra Day O’ Connor finished her class at Stanford Law School, in 1952, she could not find work because she was a woman. However, she became the first woman to join the U.S. Supreme Court (最高法院) in 1981 after years of hard work.
Margaret Thatcher (1925 -   )
In 1979, Margaret Thatcher became Britain’s first woman Prime Minister (首相). She served until 1990, which made her the first British leader to serve three terms in a row. Because of her high standards and strong will, people called her Britain’s Iron Lady.
Marie Curie (1867 - 1934)
Polish-born scientist Marie Curie discovered that some types of metal give off energy called radiation. Her research led to new medical treatments and arms. She received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903 and in Chemistry in 1911.
【小題1】We can infer from the text that Rachel Carson worked to _____.

A．help the poor	B．spread geographic knowledge
C．protect the environment	D．protect the rights of women

【小題2】What do Angela Merkel and Margaret Thatcher have in common?

A．Both of them were scientists before coming to power.

B．Both of them are the first woman head of their country.

C．Both of them are famous for being strict.

D．Both of them have worked for three terms.

【小題3】Who once failed to find a job?

A．Jane Addams.	B．Sandra Day O’Connor.
C．Rachel Carson.	D．Margaret Thatcher.

【小題4】What would be the best title for the text?

A．Great women.	B．Famous scientists.
C．Strong leaders.	D．Ways to success for women.

The clock struck eleven at night. The whole house was quiet. Everyone was in bed except me. Under the strong light, I looked sadly before a huge pile of troublesome stuff they call “books”.
I was going to have my examination the next day. "When can I go to bed?" I asked myself. I didn’t answer, in fact I dared not.
The clock struck 12."Oh, dear!" I cried, "ten more books to read before I can go to bed!” We pupils are the most wretched creatures in the world. Dad does not agree with me on this. He did not have to work so hard when he was a boy ."
The clock struck one. I was quite hopeless now. I forgot all I had learnt. I was too tired to go on. I did the only thing I could. I prayed, “Oh, God, Please help me pass the exam tomorrow. I do promise to work hard afterwards, Amen.” My eyes were heavy, so heavy that I could hardly open them. A few minutes later, with my head on the desk, I fell asleep.
【小題1】When the author was going over his lessons, all the others in the house were_____ .

A．outside	B．working in bed
C．a(chǎn)sleep	D．quietly laughing at him

【小題2】Reviewing his lessons didn’t help him because ________.    .

A．it was too late at night

B．he was very tired

C．his eyes l ids were so heavy that he couldn’t keep them open

D．he hadn’t studied hard before the examination

【小題3】What do you suppose happened to the author？

A．He went to a church to pray again	B．He passed the exam by luck
C．He was punished by his teacher	D．He failed in the exam

【小題4】The best title for the passage would be __________ .

A．Working Far into the Night	B．The Night Before the Examination
C．A Slow Student	D．Going Over My Lessons

Jean Driscoll can go faster in her wheelchair than the world’s best marathoners(馬拉松運(yùn)動員) can run!
In April, Jean finished the Boston Marathon in 1 hour 34 minutes 22 seconds. That’s about 33 minutes faster than the winning male runner! She competed on the track, too. She was second in the 800 meter wheelchair race at the 1992 Olympics.
Jean doesn’t like to be told she’s brave. “I’m in sports because I’m a competitive person!” Jean was born with spina befida(脊柱裂), a birth illness that damages the spine（脊椎）. She began to use a wheelchair to get around in high school. Then she tried wheelchair race and was amazed.” Players crashed into each other and fell out of their chairs,” she says, “It was fun.”
Jean tried other wheelchair sports. At the University of Illinois, her wheelchair basketball team won two national titles.
Now Jean coaches and teaches. She tries to get people to set goals. “When I sign my a utograph（親筆簽名）,says Jean, “I write, dream big and work hard.”
【小題1】What made Jean take part in sports?

A．She was competitive.	B．She was brave.
C．She was strong.	D．She was disabled.

【小題2】What kind of education did she receive?

A．High school.	B．Junior middle school.
C．Primary school.	D．High education.

【小題3】What is Jean’s advice on how to succeed?

A．Work hard.	B．Hope for the best.
C．Have great wishes and work hard.	D．Dream a lot.

On a sunny day last August, Tim heard some shouting. Looking out to the sea carefully, he saw a couple of kids in a rowboat were being pulled out to sea.
Two 12-year-old boys, Christian and Jack, rowed out a boat to search for a football. Once they’d rowed beyond the calm waters, a beach umbrella tied to the boat caught the wind and pulled the boat into open water. The pair got frightened and tried to row back to shore(海濱). But they were no match for it and the boat was out of control.
Tim knew it would soon be swallowed by the waves.
“Everything went quiet in my head,” Tim recalls. “I’m trying to figure out how to swim to the boys in a straight line.”
Tim took off his clothes and jumped into the water. Every 500 yards or so, he raised his head to judge his progress. “At one point, I considered turning back,” he says. “I wondered if I was putting my life in danger.” After 30 minutes of struggling, he was close enough to shout to the boys, “Take down the umbrella!”
“Let’s aim for the pier（碼頭）,” Jack said. Tim turned the boat toward it. Soon afterward, waves crashed over the boat, and it began to sink. “Can you guys swim?” he cried. “A little bit,” the boys said.
Once they were in the water, Tim decided it would be safer and faster for him to pull the boys toward the pier. Christian and Jack were wearing life jackets and floated on their backs. Tim swam toward land as water washed over the boys’ faces.
“Are we almost there?” they asked again and again. “Yes,” Tim told them each time.
After 30 minutes, they reached the pier.
【小題1】Why did the two boys go to the sea?

A．To test the umbrella as a sail.	B．To swim in the open water.
C．To get back their football.	D．To go boat rowing.

【小題2】What does “it” in Paragraph 2 refer to?

A．The wind

B．The water

C．The boat

D．The beach

【小題3】How can the two boys finally reach the pier?

A．They swam to the pier all by themselves.

B．They were pulled to the pier by Tim.

C．They were washed to the pier by the waves.

D．They were carried to the pier by Tim on his back.

【小題4】Which is the best title of the text?

A．How to save people on sea	B．Brave Rescue of kids on Sea
C．An Unforgettable Experience	D．Careless Kids in Danger

It was a Sunday morning, and I was in a terrible mood. Two of my friends had gone to the movies the night before and hadn’t invited me. I was in my room thinking of ways to make them sorry when my father came in. “Want to go for a ride, today, Beck? It’s a beautiful day.”
“No! Leave me alone!” Those were the last words I said to him that morning.
My friends called and invited me to go to the mall with them a few hours later. I forgot to be mad at them and went. I came home to find a note on the table. My mother put it where I would be sure to see it. “Dad has had an accident. Please meet us at Highland Park Hospital”.
When I reached the hospital, my mother came out and told me my father’s injuries were extensive. “Your father told the driver to leave him alone and just call 911, thank God! If he had moved Daddy, there’s no telling what might have happened. A broken rib (肋骨) might have pierced (穿透) a lung....”
My mother may have said more, but I didn’t hear. I didn’t hear anything except those terrible words: Leave me alone. My dad said them to save himself from being hurt more. How much had I hurt him when I hurled (憤慨地說出) those words at him earlier in the day?
It was several days later that he was finally able to have a conversation. I held his hand gently, afraid of hurting him.
“Daddy... I am so sorry....”
“It’s okay, sweetheart. I’ll be okay.”
“No,” I said, “I mean about what I said to you that day. You know, that morning?”
My father could no more tell a lie than he could fly. He looked at me and said, “Sweetheart, I don’t remember anything about that day, not before, during or after the accident. I remember kissing you goodnight the night before, though.” He managed a weak smile.
My English teacher once told me that words have immeasurable power. They can hurt or they can heal. And we all have the power to choose our words. I intend to do that very carefully from now on.
【小題1】The author was in bad mood that morning because ________.

A．his father had a terrible accident

B．he couldn’t drive to the mall with his friends

C．his friends hadn’t invited him to the cinema

D．his father didn’t allow him to go out with his friends

【小題2】Why did the author say sorry to his father in the hospital?

A．Because he didn’t go along with his father.

B．Because he was rude to his father that morning.

C．Because he failed to come earlier after the accident.

D．Because he couldn’t look after his father in the hospital.

【小題3】The reason why the author’s father said he forgot everything about that day is that ________.

A．he had a poor memory

B．he didn’t want to forgive his son

C．he just wanted to comfort his son

D．he lost his memory after the accident

【小題4】What lesson did Beck learn from the matter?

A．Don’t treat your parents badly.

B．Don’t hurt others with rude words.

C．Don’t move the injured in an accident.

D．Don’t be angry with friends at small things

Once there was a man who liked to eat mangoes. One day he decided to get the sweetest mango from the very top of the tree. Mangoes which are exposed to the sun the most are the sweetest.
So he climbed up to the top, where the branches were thin. He managed to pick up a few sweet reddish fruits, but, in an attempt to climb down, he slipped and started falling towards the ground. Fortunately, he caught the branch as he was falling and remained helplessly hanging on the tree. Then he started to call nearby villagers for help. They immediately came with a ladder and sticks, but could do little to help him.
Then after some time one calm and thoughtful person arrived – a well-known sage who lived in a simple hut nearby. People were very curious to see what he would do, as he was famous in solving many people’s problems in the area and sometimes very complicated ones.
He was silent for a minute and then picked up a stone and threw it at the hanging man.
Everybody was surprised. The hanging mango lover started to shout, “What are you doing?! Are you crazy? Do you want me to break my neck?” The sage was silent. Then he took another stone and threw it at the man. The man was very angry, “If I could just come down, I would show you!”
That’s what everybody wanted – that he came down. But how? Now everybody was tense, as to what would happen next! Some wanted to chastise the sage, but they didn’t. The sage picked another stone and threw it again at the man, even more forcefully. Now the man on the tree was enraged and developed a great determination to come down and take revenge（復(fù)仇）.
He then used all his skill and strength and somehow reached the branches which were safe to start going down. And he made it! Everybody was amazed.
However, the rescued man found the sage gone. He stood there, realizing that the man really saved him because he induced（引誘）him to try his best and save himself.
“I should be thankful and not angry.”
【小題1】From the story we know that the sweetest mango must be the one        .

A．on the very top of the tree

B．hidden in the middle of a tree

C．on the tree for the longest time

D．exposed to sunlight less often

【小題2】What happened after he had picked a few sweet reddish mangoes?

A．He slipped and fell to the ground suddenly.

B．He was climbing down quickly

C．He remained hanging helplessly on the tree.

D．He shouted loudly for help but no one helped.

【小題3】How did the man feel when the sage hit him with a stone?

A．He was nervous.

B．He kept silent

C．He felt surprised.

D．He was angry.

【小題4】What do you think motivated the man to climb down?

A．Courage.

B．Revenge.

C．Carefulness.

D．Assistance.