Bissel is a small village of the West Sahara. It lies next to a l.5-square-kilometer oasis（綠洲）, from where three days and nights are generally required to go out of the desert. However, before Ken Levin discovered it in 1926, none of the Bissel villagers had ever walked out of the desert. Reportedly, they were not unwilling to leave this barren land. Many had previously tried but failed, always somehow finding themselves back at the oasis after several days of trying to walk out.
When interviewed by Ken Levin, an expert at the British Royal College of Sciences, the villagers explained that no matter which direction they walked it always brought them back to the village.Why couldn’t the Bissel villagers walk out of the desert? Levin was very puzzled. He had, by himself, managed to walk north from the village and reach the nearest town in three and a half days. He decided to carry out an experiment to solve the mystery. He and a Bissel villager called Argutel, would walk out of the desert together. They prepared enough water for a half-a-month journey and two camels. But this time Ken Levin didn't bring his compass. Levin would follow Argutel.
Ten days later, they had walked for about 500 miles but were still in the desert. On the 11th morning, an oasis came into their view. They were back at Bissel. Levin now understood why the Bissel people couldn’t escape the desert. They had no knowledge of the North Star, which had for centuries provided sailors and other travelers with a point of direction. In the desert, if a person goes forward relying only on their senses, they will not be able to travel in a straight line. Rather they will travel in a very large circle and eventually track back to where they began. Levin explained to Argutel the function of the North Star and said, “As long as you rest in the daytime and walk towards the brightest star at night, you would be able to walk out of the desert.” Argutel did as he was told. Three days later, he came to the edge of the desert.
Now in the West Sahara, Bissel has become a bright pearl, where tens of thousands of tourists come every year. Argutel’s bronze statue stands in the center of the town. On its base are the words: __________________________________.
【小題1】Ken Levin asked Argutel to walk to the north in order to ________.

A．prove that people could walk out of the desert see

B．how far away Bissel was to the edge of the desert

C．tell people not to walk in circles

D．show Argutel was a great person

【小題2】According to the passage, Ken Levin ________.

A．knew Argutel before he came to the village

B．came to Bissel to do experiments on behalf of his college

C．became the first man to walk out of the desert from Bissel Village

D．taught Bissel villagers knowledge of the North Star when he first arrived

【小題3】It can be inferred from the passage that ________.

A．Ken Levin didn’t walk south because it would take more days

B．the use of a compass was necessary to walk out of the desert

C．tourism in Bissel has been greatly developed and improved

D．Argutel became the leader of Bissel after his return

【小題4】Which of the following can most probably be found at the base of Argutel’s statue?

A．A new life starts from the fixed direction.

B．Where there is a will, there is a way.

C．A long journey starts with the first step.

D．Two heads are better than one.

Would you believe that the first outstanding deaf teacher in America was a Frenchman? His name was Laurent Clerc. He became a friend of Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet and together they founded America's first school for the deaf.
Laurent Clerc was born in a small village near Lyons, France, on December 26, 1785. When he was one year old, he fell into a fire, losing both his hearing and his sense of smell.
At 12, Laurent entered the Royal Institution for the Deaf in Paris where he did well in his studies. After he graduated, the school asked him to stay on as an assistant teacher.
Meanwhile, in America, Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet was studying to be a minister. He was very concerned about the lack of educational opportunities for the deaf. Therefore, in 1815, Gallaudet sailed to London, England to seek ideas on how to teach deaf people. While he was there, he met a French educator of the deaf who invited him to go to Paris to spend three months learning at the Royal Institution for the Deaf, the school where Laurent Clerc was teaching. Gallaudet accepted the offer. The two worked and studied well together. When the time came for Gallaudet to return, he asked Clerc to come with him. Clerc accepted on one condition: that he would stay in America only a short time.
The two men set sail on June 18, 1816. The voyage across the Atlantic Ocean took 52 days; however, Clerc and Gallaudet put the time to good use. Clerc studied English, and Gallaudet studied sign language. They discussed the school for the deaf which they planned to open. On the long trip, they had many conversations about education and deafness. The year after they arrived, they founded a school for the deaf in Harford, Connecticut.
At the school, Clerc led a busy life. He taught signs to Principal Gallaudet; he taught the pupils; and he taught hearing men who came to the school to study deaf education.
In 1819, Clerc married Eliza Crocker Boardman, one of his pupils. They had six children. He retired from teaching in 1858. Although he had intended to return to France, he never did. He died on July 18, 1869 in the United States.
【小題1】Why did Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet sail to London?

A．He needed to finish his studies to become a minister.

B．It was the easiest way to get to France.

C．He wanted to study their system of deaf education.

D．He wanted to marry Alice Cogswell.

【小題2】From the information in this passage we can infer that__________.

A．Laurent Clerc was an intelligent man

B．Clerc had difficulties learning language

C．Clerc married Eliza in order to get his Green Card

D．Clerc was paid well because he made such important contributions to society

【小題3】On their trip from Paris to America, Clerc and Gallaudet ___________.

A．played cards and socialized

B．studied and discussed their plans for a deaf school

C．founded a school for the deaf

D．Gallaudet studied English and Clerc studied Sign Language

【小題4】Which is the right order of the things Clerc did？

A．met Gallaudet, moved to America, got married, went to school in Paris.

B．met Gallaudet, went to school in Paris, moved to America, got married.

C．went to school in Paris, met Gallaudet, moved to America, got married.

D．got married, went to school in Paris, met Gallaudet, moved to America.

【小題5】The main idea of this passage could best be stated as_________.

A．Clerc managed his time well, succeeding in his career.

B．Thomas Gallaudet was indebted to Clerc for all that he taught him.

C．Clerc preferred teaching deaf students to hearing students.

D．Clerc, an educated Frenchman, had a great impact on American Deaf Education.

Mothers and daughters go through so much — yet when was the last time a mother and daughter sat down to write a book together about it all? Perri Klass and her mother, Sheila Solomon Klass, both gifted professional writers, prove to be ideal co-writers as they examine their decades of motherhood, daughterhood, and the wonderful ways their lives have overlapped (重疊).
Perri notes with amazement how closely her own life has mirrored her mother’s: both have full-time careers; both have published books, articles, and stories; each has three children; they both love to read. They also love to travel — in fact, they often take trips together. But in truth, the harder they look at their lives, the more they acknowledge their big differences in circumstance and basic nature.
A child of the Depression (大蕭條), Sheila was raised in Brooklyn by parents who considered education a luxury for girls. Starting with her college education, she has fought for everything she’s ever accomplished. Perri, on the other hand, grew up privileged in the New Jersey suburbs of the 1960s and 1970s. For Sheila, wasting time or money is a crime, and luxury is unthinkable while Perri enjoys the occasional small luxury, but has not been successful in trying to persuade her mother into enjoying even the tiniest thing she likes.
Each writing in her own unmistakable voice, Perri and Sheila take turns exploring the joys and pains, the love and bitterness, the minor troubles and lasting respect that have always bonded them together. Sheila describes the adventure of giving birth to Perri in a tiny town in Trinidad where her husband was doing research fieldwork. Perri admits that she can’t sort out all the mess in the households, even though she knows it drives her mother crazy. Together they compare thoughts on bringing up children and working, admit long-hidden sorrows, and enjoy precious memories.
Looking deep into the lives they have lived separately and together, Perri and Sheila tell their mother-daughter story with honesty, humor, enthusiasm, and admiration for each other. A written account in two voices, Every Mother Is a Daughter is a duet (二重奏) that produces a deep, strong sound with the experiences that all mothers and daughters will recognize.
【小題1】Why does Perri think that her own life has mirrored her mother’s?

A．They both have gone through difficult times.

B．They have strong emotional ties with each other.

C．They have the same joys and pains, and love and bitterness.

D．They both have experiences as daughter, mother and writer.

【小題2】The word “l(fā)uxury” in Paragraph 3 means ______.

A．something rare but not pleasant

B．something that cannot be imagined

C．something expensive but not necessary

D．something that can only be enjoyed by boys

【小題3】What is Paragraph 4 mainly about?

A．The content of the book.	B．The purpose of the book.
C．The influence of the book.	D．The writing style of the book.

【小題4】How are women’s lives explored in this book?

A．In a musical form.	B．Through field research.
C．With unique writing skills.	D．From different points of view.

Linda Evans was my best friend—like the sister I never had. We did everything together: piano lessons, movies, swimming, horseback riding.
When I was 13, my fami1y moved away. Linda and I kept in touch through letters, and we saw each other on special times—like my wedding and Linda’s. Soon we were busy with children and moving to new homes, and we wrote less often. One day a card that I sent came back, stamped“Address Unknown”. I had no idea about how to find Linda.
Over the years, I missed Linda very much. I wanted to share happiness of my children and then grandchildren. And I needed to share my sadness when my brother and then mother died. There was an empty place in my heart that only a friend like Linda could fill.
One day, I was reading a newspaper when I noticed a photo of a young woman who looked very much like Linda and whose last name was Wagman—Linda’s married name.“There must be thousands of Wagmans.”I thought, but I still wrote to her.
She called as soon as she got my letter.“Mrs. Tobin!”she said excitedly,“Linda Evans Wagman is my mother.”
Minutes later I heard a voice that I recognized at once, even after 40 years. We laughed and cried and caught up on each other’s lives. Now the empty place in my heart is fil1ed. And there’s one thing that Linda and I know for sure: We won’t lose each other again!
【小題1】The writer went to piano lessons with Linda Evans     .

A．a(chǎn)t the age of 13

B．before she got married

C．before the writer’s family moved away

D．a(chǎn)fter they moved to new homes

【小題2】They didn’t often write to each other because they     .

A．got married

B．had little time to do so

C．didn’t like writing letters

D．could see each other on special times

【小題3】There was an empty place in the writer’s heart because she     .

A．was in trouble

B．didn’t know Linda’s address

C．received the card that she sent

D．didn’t have a friend like Linda

【小題4】The writer was happy when she     .

A．read the newspaper

B．heard Linda’s voice on the phone

C．met a young woman who looked a lot like Linda

D．wrote to the woman whose 1ast name was Wagman

【小題5】They haven’t kept in touch     .

A．for about 40 years

B．for about 27 years

C．since they got married

D．since the writer’s family moved away

I really hadn’t meant to yell at them. But that grey afternoon saw it just as my son and daughter were making a terrible mess on the floor in the kitchen.
With a tiresome report to write, I felt bothered at my desk. Suddenly, it occurred to me that my kids were at fault. A voice inside me insisted that I do something quickly.
“Ok, you two here, what an awful thing you are attempting!” I was shouting angrily. I made for them, while it became evident that the boy wanted no part of me. “Get away from us!” he shouted back, there being an expression of support from his sister.
All of a sudden, I found the fault in myself. Quickly I shaped my hands into pincers(鉗子) and crawled towards them, “Crabby（暴躁的） Daddy is here. Ha, Ha, Ha, he likes to yell at children, and then eat them!” My son continued to keep me away, but now he was laughing and crying at the same time. My mission to repair the damage caused by my yelling seemed to work well. Still, I regretted not having controlled myself first in a right way.
Need I let them know how badly they were acting by blaming? This is a lesson that serves myself. It only shows just how to get rid of something (ill-feelings, responsibility…) by blaming others. It’s not my “best self”.
We have to search for our “best self” when with our children. They don’t need perfect parents, but they do need parents who are always trying to get better. Here, I am reminded of the words of a great thinker. “When a man lives with God, his voice shall be as sweet as the murmur of the brook (stream)…” Then, in our lifetime, couldn’t we always speak to our kids in such a sweet voice since most of us consider them as the most precious in the world? And before we reach this level, what should we do when we come across various difficult cases with our children?
【小題1】 Which of the following made the author aware of his fault?

A．No obvious reason.	B．The boy’s yelling back.
C．His self-awareness.	D．The girl’s shouting back.

【小題2】According to the passage, the author will _________ in another similar situation.

A．play a crab again like this time	B．a(chǎn)pologize to kids in a sincere way
C．a(chǎn)void blaming kids in a hurry	D．beat them up about such things

【小題3】 What will the writer go on to write about in the next paragraph(s)?

A．How to behave ourselves properly when kids are at fault.

B．How to play with our children in a more interesting way.

C．How to deal with the housework with children around us.

D．How to persuade children to do what they are told to.

【小題4】What does “the boy wanted no part of me” in the third paragraph mean?

A．The boy was happy because I loved them.

B．The boy was curious because I wanted to help them.

C．The boy was very happy for I was angry.

D．The boy didn’t want me to join them.

“Yes, I’ll be ready at nine in the morning. Goodbye, dear, and thanks again.” It had not been an easy telephone call for Mrs. Robson to make. Her daughter had been very kind, of course, and had immediately agreed to pick her up and drive her to the station, but Mrs. Robson hated to admit that she needed help. Since her husband died ten years ago, she had prided herself on her independence. She had continued to live in their little house, alone.
This evening, however, she was standing at her living-room window, staring out at the SOLD notice in the small front garden. Her feelings were mixed. Of course, she was sad at the thought of leaving the house, as it was full of so many memories. But at the same time she was looking forward to spending her last years near the sea, back in the little seaside town where she had been born. With the money from the sale of the house, she had bought a little flat there. She turned from the living room window, and looked round at the room. One or two pieces of furniture remained, covered with sheet. All her pictures had been taken from the walls. There was a small fish tank, with two goldfish in it. When asked why, her husband used to say: “It’s nice to have something alive in the room.” Since he had passed away, she had always kept some goldfish, and always had “something alive in the room”.
The next morning, as her train was pulling out of the station, Mrs. Robson called to her daughter, “Kate, you won’t forget to collect the goldfish, will you? The children will love them. It’s…”
“I know,” Kate interrupted gently. “It’s nice to have something alive in the room.” But in the little house, the two goldfish had stopped their circling. They were floating on the water, in the room with silent walls.
【小題1】According to the passage, we know that Mrs. Robson ________.

A．was a person who liked to be alone

B．was not able to help herself

C．did not like asking people for help

D．wanted to live without her husband

【小題2】On her last night in the house, Mrs. Robson was feeling __________.

A．a(chǎn) bit sad but not totally unhappy

B．happy but unable to help herself

C．proud and sad

D．in poor spirits

【小題3】 Mrs. Robson was going to __________.

A．be in hospital	B．live with her daughter
C．meet her husband	D．live where she was born

【小題4】The little house meant a lot to Mrs. Robson because________.

A．it was full of pets and plants

B．many friends and relatives visited it

C．it had a long and unforgettable history

D．a(chǎn)n important part of her life was spent there

I was parked in front of the mall wiping off my car．I had just come from the car wash and was waiting for my wife to get out of work．
Coming my way from across the parking lot was what society would consider a bum．From the looks of him, he had no car, no home, no clean clothes, and no money．There are times when you feel generous but there are other times that you just don't want to be bothered．This was one of those “don't want to be bothered times”．
“ I hope he doesn't ask me for any money,” I thought．
He didn't．He came and sat on the edge of the pavement in front of the bus stop but he didn't
look like he could have enough money to even ride the bus．After a few minutes he spoke．
“That's a very pretty car,” he said．
He was in rags but he had an air of dignity around him．His badly-grown blond beard kept more than his face warm．
I said, “thanks,” and continued wiping off my car．He sat there quietly as I worked．The expected plea（乞求） for money never came．As the silence between us widened, something inside said, “ask him if he needs any help．” I was sure that he would say “yes” but I held true to the inner voice．
“Do you need any help?” I asked．
He answered in three simple words that I shall never forget．We often look for wisdom in great men and women．We expect it from those of higher learning and achievements．I expected nothing but an outstretched dirty hand．He spoke the three words that shook me．
“Don't we all?” he said．
【小題1】Why did the writer parked his car before the mall?

A．Because he wanted to pick up his wife．

B．Because he wanted to show off his car．

C．Because he wanted to wipe off his car．

D．Because he wanted to do some shopping．

【小題2】Which has the closest meaning to the underlined word "bum" in Paragraph 2?

A．dustman

B．driver

C．beggar

D．robber

【小題3】Which is the best title for this text?

A．A good husband	B．Didn't he need help?
C．Don't we all?	D．One should be generous

Eddie’s father used to say he’d spent so many years by the ocean, breathing seawater. Now, away from that ocean, in the hospital bed, his body began to look like a beached fish. His condition went from fair to stable and from stable to serious. Friends went from saying, “He’ll be home in a day,” to “He’ll be home in a week.” In his father’s absence, Eddie helped out at the pier (碼頭), working evenings after his taxi job.
When Eddie was a teenager, if he ever complained or seemed bored with the pier, his father would shout, “What? This isn’t good enough for you?” And later, when he’d suggested Eddie take a job there after high school, Eddie almost laughed, and his father again said, “What? This isn’t good enough for you?” And before Eddie went to war, when he’d talked of marrying Marguerite and becoming an engineer, his father said, “What? This isn’t good enough for you?”
And now, regardless of all that, here he was, at the pier, doing his father’s labor.
Parents rarely let go of their children, so children let go of them. They move on. They move away. It is not until much later, as the heart weakens, that children understand: their stories, and all their accomplishments, sit on top of the stories of their mothers and fathers, stones upon stones, beneath the waters of their lives.
Finally, one night, at his mother’s urging, Eddie visited the hospital. He entered the room slowly. His father, who for years had refused to speak to Eddie, now lacked the strength to even try.
“Don’t sweat it, kid,” the other workers told him. “Your old man will pull through. He’s the toughest man we’ve ever seen.”
When the news came that his father had died, Eddie felt the emptiest kind of anger, the kind that circles in its cage.
In the weeks that followed, Eddie’s mother lived in a confused state. She spoke to her husband as if he were still there. She yelled at him to turn down the radio. She cooked enough food for two. One night, when Eddie offered to help with the dishes, she said, “Your father will put them away.” Eddie put a hand on her shoulder. “Ma,” he said, softly, “Dad’s gone.”
“Gone where?”
【小題1】In Paragraph four, the writer indicates that __________.

A．Children like moving away from their parents

B．Children often feel regretful because they leave their parents

C．Children wouldn’t have achieved so much without their parents’ support

D．Children can never understand how much their parents have devoted to them

【小題2】 The underlined sentence “Don’t sweat it” (Para. 6) probably means __________.

A．Don’t touch it	B．Don’t give it up
C．Don’t let him down	D．Don’t worry about it

【小題3】Which of the following shows the right order of the story?
a. Eddie’s father died.
b. Eddie married Marguerite.
c. Eddie worked as a taxi driver.
d. Eddie was bored with his father’s job.

A．dbca

B．dcab

C．bcda

D．bacd

【小題4】From the last paragraph, we learn that __________.

A．Eddie’s mother liked to listen to the radio

B．Eddie’s mother missed her husband so much that she was at a loss

C．Eddie and his wife lived in his mother’s apartment

D．Eddie often helped his mother wash the dishes