My husband and I went into a shop that sold handcrafted items in hopes of finding a few last-minute Christmas gifts.
There was a lot1. Every shelf and2was loaded with different crafters' handiwork. As I walked through the store, I noticed a wooden plaque(瓷花金屬板) hanging on a wall. I turned to take3look and remember shaking my head "yes" at4printed on the plaque.
"Life isn't about waiting for the5to pass," the plaque proclaimed(宣布). "It's about learning to dance in the rain."
As I pulled my husband over and directed his attention to the plaque, I could see that he too 6the simple lesson the plaque shared. How often in our daily lives had we put conditions on our7? When we get the house paid off, then we can be happy. When things settle down with the kids, then we'11 be able to do more together. There is so little joy for the here and now in the uncertainties of the8and thens.
Looking at the plaque, I found myself9to a hot and muggy day the summer before, when I unknowingly10the plaque's message. Light rain continued to fall as I walked out to get my mail. Water was still running11through the gutters(屋頂檐槽). I don't know what came over me,12I suddenly felt forced to do something a little crazy 13my fifty-plus years.
I14my shoes and stockings and began walking barefoot through the water. It was deliciously15, heated by the pavement that had been16by the summer heat.
I'm sure my neighbors thought that I had17my last vestige of sanity(神智健全), but I didn't care. For in that moment, I was alive. I wasn't worried about bills, the future or any other day-to-day cares. I was 18a gift — a pure and simple moment of joy!
The plaque now hangs in my living room, a Christmas gift from my husband. I walk past it multiple times each day and19pause to ask myself, "So, am I 20in the rain?"
I think I am. I know I try to. One step at a time, I am learning to dance in the rain!

1. 1.
   1. A.
      to purchase
   2. B.
      to see
   3. C.
      to choose
   4. D.
      to order
2. 2.
   1. A.
      wall
   2. B.
      counter
   3. C.
      drawer
   4. D.
      panel
3. 3.
   1. A.
      a first
   2. B.
      a second
   3. C.
      a better
   4. D.
      a worse
4. 4.
   1. A.
      the word
   2. B.
      the design
   3. C.
      the note
   4. D.
      the message
5. 5.
   1. A.
      trouble
   2. B.
      happiness
   3. C.
      storm
   4. D.
      fortune
6. 6.
   1. A.
      considered
   2. B.
      recalled
   3. C.
      appreciated
   4. D.
      acknowledged
7. 7.
   1. A.
      happiness
   2. B.
      responsibility
   3. C.
      desire
   4. D.
      virtue
8. 8.
   1. A.
      wheres
   2. B.
      ifs
   3. C.
      buts
   4. D.
      whens
9. 9.
   1. A.
      keeping back
   2. B.
      thinking back
   3. C.
      going back
   4. D.
      dating back
10. 10.
    1. A.
       interpret
    2. B.
       understood
    3. C.
       conveyed
    4. D.
       lived
11. 11.
    1. A.
       high
    2. B.
       fiercely
    3. C.
       deep
    4. D.
       low
12. 12.
    1. A.
       ortherwise
    2. B.
       and
    3. C.
       but
    4. D.
       thus
13. 13.
    1. A.
       in
    2. B.
       for
    3. C.
       above
    4. D.
       at
14. 14.
    1. A.
       come off
    2. B.
       put on
    3. C.
       throw away
    4. D.
       slipped off
15. 15.
    1. A.
       cold
    2. B.
       warm
    3. C.
       smooth
    4. D.
       swift
16. 16.
    1. A.
       baked
    2. B.
       swollen
    3. C.
       removed
    4. D.
       burned
17. 17.
    1. A.
       dismissed
    2. B.
       suffered
    3. C.
       lost
    4. D.
       gained
18. 18.
    1. A.
       experiencing
    2. B.
       distributing
    3. C.
       receiving
    4. D.
       presenting
19. 19.
    1. A.
       hardly
    2. B.
       incidentally
    3. C.
       seldom
    4. D.
       frequently
20. 20.
    1. A.
       stuck
    2. B.
       running
    3. C.
       dancing
    4. D.
       caught

Stephen Glenn is a famous scientist who has made several medical breakthroughs. When1why he was so much more2than the average person, he replied that it all came from an experience3his mom.
At 2, he was trying to4a bottle of milk from the refrigerator when he5his hold on the slippery bottle and it fell, spilling (灑) its contents all over the kitchen floor! When his mom came in, instead of shouting at him or6him a lesson, she said, “Robert, what a great mess you’ve made! I’ve7seen such a sea of milk. Well, now that the8has been done, would you please get down and9in the milk for a while10we clean it up?”
So happily he did. After that, his mom said, “Robert, whenever you make such a mess like this, you’11 have to clean it up and restore (恢復) everything to its proper11. So which do you prefer, a sponge, towel or mop?” He12the sponge and tighter they cleaned up the milk. His mom then said, “Robert, you’ve just had a13experiment how to carry a big milk bottle14with two tiny hands. Now go to the sink to fill the bottle with15and see if you can discover a way to carry it safely.” Instantly Robert learned that he could16it if he grasped the bottle at the17near the lip with both hands.
18wonderful a lesson! The famous scientist then remarked it was then and there that he came to know that19were just opportunities for learning something new, which is what scientific experiments are all about.
Wouldn’t in be great if all parents could react the way Robert’s mom did to20?

1. 1.
   1. A.
      puzzled
   2. B.
      explained
   3. C.
      asked
   4. D.
      wondered
2. 2.
   1. A.
      creative
   2. B.
      diligent
   3. C.
      cautious
   4. D.
      aggressive
3. 3.
   1. A.
      beyond
   2. B.
      with
   3. C.
      about
   4. D.
      from
4. 4.
   1. A.
      deliver
   2. B.
      remove
   3. C.
      bring
   4. D.
      make
5. 5.
   1. A.
      dismissed
   2. B.
      tightened
   3. C.
      caught
   4. D.
      lost
6. 6.
   1. A.
      teaching
   2. B.
      punishing
   3. C.
      directing
   4. D.
      taking
7. 7.
   1. A.
      sometimes
   2. B.
      always
   3. C.
      rarely
   4. D.
      mostly
8. 8.
   1. A.
      experiment
   2. B.
      damage
   3. C.
      work
   4. D.
      favor
9. 9.
   1. A.
      drink
   2. B.
      gather
   3. C.
      swim
   4. D.
      play
10. 10.
    1. A.
       after
    2. B.
       when
    3. C.
       before
    4. D.
       once
11. 11.
    1. A.
       situation
    2. B.
       model
    3. C.
       order
    4. D.
       size
12. 12.
    1. A.
       chose
    2. B.
       used
    3. C.
       liked
    4. D.
       saw
13. 13.
    1. A.
       useless
    2. B.
       funny
    3. C.
       valid
    4. D.
       failed
14. 14.
    1. A.
       effectively
    2. B.
       heavily
    3. C.
       strongly
    4. D.
       luckily
15. 15.
    1. A.
       milk
    2. B.
       water
    3. C.
       sand
    4. D.
       stones
16. 16.
    1. A.
       complete
    2. B.
       try
    3. C.
       make
    4. D.
       get
17. 17.
    1. A.
       bottom
    2. B.
       cover
    3. C.
       outside
    4. D.
       top
18. 18.
    1. A.
       How
    2. B.
       Too
    3. C.
       Very
    4. D.
       What
19. 19.
    1. A.
       tests
    2. B.
       mistakes
    3. C.
       exercises
    4. D.
       achievements
20. 20.
    1. A.
       it
    2. B.
       them
    3. C.
       her
    4. D.
       him

A large number of workers were laid off during the Great Depression．

1. A.
   dismissed
2. B.
   given up
3. C.
   on holidays
4. D.
   hired

Every summer, hundreds of thousands of students travel to other countries looking for work and adventure. Most of the opportunities are in 1 work. The pay is usually poor, but most people work 2 for the thrill of travel. You can pick grapes in France, entertain kids on American summer camps, and, of course, there are always 3 in hotels and restaurants.
But it is not as easy as it used to be to find work. Unless you speak the language of the country well, there will be very 4openings. For example, when you arrive to wash dishes in a restaurant in Paris, the owner will 5 you to speak French. British students only have a language 6 for jobs in the USA and Australia.
Not every one 7 the experience. Sarah James was once responsible for forty American children in Europe. During the 8, one child lost his passport; four children were lost in Madrid for a whole day; the whole group was thrown out of one hotel because of the  9 they made. Sarah says, “It really was a 24-hour-a-day job since the kids never 10! And the pay was awful. It wasn’t worth it.”
The trouble is that 11 expect to have an easy time of it. After all, they see it as a  12. In practice, though, they have to work hard. At the same time, all vacation work is casual work, and jobs are 13 only when the hotel, the restaurant, or the campsite is busy. But students have few employment 14. As soon as the holiday season finishes, companies will get rid of them. And if their employer doesn’t like them, they’ll be 15, too.

1. 1.
   1. A.
      seasonal
   2. B.
      mental
   3. C.
      professional
   4. D.
      formal
2. 2.
   1. A.
      hard
   2. B.
      voluntarily
   3. C.
      abroad
   4. D.
      continuously
3. 3.
   1. A.
      jobs
   2. B.
      visitors
   3. C.
      customers
   4. D.
      parties
4. 4.
   1. A.
      good
   2. B.
      new
   3. C.
      attractive
   4. D.
      few
5. 5.
   1. A.
      teach
   2. B.
      expect
   3. C.
      allow
   4. D.
      forbid
6. 6.
   1. A.
      program
   2. B.
      lesson
   3. C.
      advantage
   4. D.
      exam
7. 7.
   1. A.
      has
   2. B.
      enjoys
   3. C.
      forgets
   4. D.
      remembers
8. 8.
   1. A.
      trip
   2. B.
      flight
   3. C.
      discussion
   4. D.
      ceremony
9. 9.
   1. A.
      promise
   2. B.
      progress
   3. C.
      complaint
   4. D.
      noise
10. 10.
    1. A.
       cried
    2. B.
       studied
    3. C.
       slept
    4. D.
       helped
11. 11.
    1. A.
       children
    2. B.
       students
    3. C.
       employers
    4. D.
       parents
12. 12.
    1. A.
       job
    2. B.
       lesson
    3. C.
       holiday
    4. D.
       shame
13. 13.
    1. A.
       countless
    2. B.
       available
    3. C.
       interesting
    4. D.
       boring
14. 14.
    1. A.
       experiences
    2. B.
       rules
    3. C.
       plans
    4. D.
       rights
15. 15.
    1. A.
       dismissed
    2. B.
       charged
    3. C.
       fined
    4. D.
       punished

Phillip Island Penguins(企鵝)

The Little Penguin has called Phillip Island home for untold generations. Get to Phillip Island in plenty of time to watch s summer sunset at Summerland Beach – the stage is attractively set to see the little Penguin leave water and step onto land.

·Leave Melbourne at 5:30 pm for a direct journey to Phillip Island

·See the Gippsland area – Guinness Book of Records place for the world’s longest earthworm(蚯蚓)

·Journey along the coastal highway around the Bay with French Island and Churchill Island in the distance

·Cross the bridge at San Remo to enter Phillip Island – natural home for Little Penguins and many animals

·Take your place in special viewing stands(看臺) to watch the daily evening performance of the wild Little Penguins

Ultimate Penguins (+U)

Join a group of up to 15. This guided tour goes to an attractive, quiet beach to see Little Penguins. You can see penguins at night by wearing a special pair of glasses.

Adult(成人) $60.00         Child $30.00

Viewing Platform Penguin Plus (+V)

More personalized wildlife viewing limited to 130 people providing closer viewing of the penguin arrival than the main viewing stands.

Adult $25.00         Child $12.50

Penguin Skybox (+S)

Join a group of only 5 in the comfort of a special, higher-up viewing tower. Gain an excellent overview of Summerland Beach.

Adult 16years +$50.00

1. What kind of people is the text mainly written for?

A. Scientists.      B. Students        C. Tourists.         D. Artists.

2. We can learn from the text that Little Penguins__________.

A. have been on Phillip Island for years

B. keep a Guinness record for their size

C. are trained to practice diving for visitors

D. live in large groups to protect themselves

3. How much would a couple with one child pay for a closer viewing tour?

A. $37.50.   B. $62.50. C. $180.00.   D. $150.00.