Researches show what we already suspected: Three out of four babies who died of SIDS(嬰兒猝死) involved co-sleeping. We’ll say it again. The safest course is not to sleep with babies.
We know the argument: Bad parenting, not co-sleeping, is to blame for the dozens of babies’ deaths. Some parents stick to co-sleeping because it helps them bond with their newborns. They say those who give co-sleeping a bad name either had been drinking, used drugs or were too tired to notice that they rolled over on their children.
But, most of the cases did not involve drugs or alcohol. There’s a “but” here, however. Submitting to a test for drugs or alcohol in these cases is voluntary, so it’s difficult to know with certainty.
Organizations like the Black Health Coalition and others have explained the safe way to co-sleep. While we understand those arguments, we also know that mistakes can happen and that it only takes one time for something to go terribly wrong. The risk outweighs the benefit.
In all likelihood, parents will continue to co-sleep, and some will do so without ever having an incident, but babies are too vulnerable(易受傷的) for parents to take such chances. Therefore, the best place for babies to sleep is in their own beds, on their backs, with no pillows, blankets or toys. No parent wants a tragedy(悲劇) to occur. The best way to make sure the tragedy doesn’t happen is to allow babies to sleep alone in their own cribs(搖籃).                                         
【小題1】According to the author, most of the SIDS cases happened because of ________.

It was her giggling (咯咯笑) that drew my attention. Note taking really wasn’t all that funny.
Walking over to the offender (肇事者), I asked for the   36 . Frozen, she refused to give it to me. I waited, all attention in the classroom on the quiet   37  between a teacher and a student. When she finally   38  it over she whispered, “Okay, but I didn’t draw it.” It was a hand-drawn   39  of me, teeth blackened and the words “I’m stupid” coming out of my mouth.
I managed to fold it up calmly. My mind,   40  , was working angrily as I struggled not to   41 . I figured I knew the two most likely students who drew the picture. It would do them some   42  to teach them a lesson, and maybe it was high time that I did it.
Thankfully, I was able to keep myself   43 .
When there were about six minutes remaining, I showed the class the picture. They were all silent as I told them how   44  this was for me. I told them there must be a reason   45    and now was their chance to write down anything they needed to tell me. Then I let them write silently while I was seated in the back of the classroom, with tears in my eyes.
As I   46  the notes later, many of them said something like, “I’ve got nothing   47  you.” or “I’m sorry you were hurt.” Some kids said, “We’re afraid of you.” But two notes, from the girls who I   48  drew the picture, had a list of issues. I was too   49 , too strict…
Reading those notes, I realized that over the course of this year, instead of   50  my students, I had begun commanding them to   51 . Where I thought I was driving them to success I was   52  driving them away. I had some apology to make. But the next day in the classroom, one boy and one girl each handed me a card. The one   53  by all the boys expressed sincere regret for the ugly joke. The one from the girls asked for   54 .
This was a lesson for both the kids and me. Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the   55 .

Forever Young

It's Girls Night Out: Mom Edition, and I'm a player in a whole new game. It occurs to me that I really don't know these　36　women. We've been circling　37　 for about three years, ever since our kids started　38　.We'd bump into each other in the parking　39　,at Valentine's Day parties, and later as one or the other shyly　40　we all sign our kids up for softball, gymnastics or dance. Who knows　41　the five of us clumped together more than　42　of us clumped with other mothers. I suppose it happens　43　,friendship circles spiraling （成螺旋狀旋轉(zhuǎn)）in and around and about and anew. This is the　44　time we've gathered without the kids, and I am having a　45　time saying “Janice”, as opposed to “Zoe's mom” or “Susan”,　46　 “Kaitlin's mom”, and so I have decided, for tonight, not to　47　any names at all.     

The　48　has already taken our drink order. I can't believe nobody　49　beer. Nope, this is a Diet Coke and iced tea crowd. In the back of my mind I'm　50　if I'm going to be the naughty　51　who corrupts this group. There is so much　52　to take care of when you are just getting to　53　people as people. One of the things we are doing is　54　dates, the years that each of us　55　from this or that. I see where this is going.

三、 閱讀理解（共20小題，滿分40分）

As one approaches  some crossroads, one comes to a sign which says that drivers have to stop when they come to the main road ahead. At other crossroads, drivers have to go slow, but they do not actually have to stop (unless, of course, there is something coming along the main road); and at still others, they do not have either to stop or to go slow, because they are themselves on the main road.

    Mr. Williams, who was always a very careful driver, was driving home from work one evening when he came to a crossroads. It had a “Slow” sign, so he slowed down when he came to  the main road, looked both ways to see that nothing was coming,  and then drove across without stopping completely.

    At once he heard a police whistle, so he pulled in to the side of the road and stopped. A policeman walked over to him with a noteb ook and pencil in his hand and said, “You didn’t stop at the crossing.” “But the sign there doesn’t say “Stop”,” answered Mr. Williams. “It just says “Slow”, and I did go slow.”  The policeman looked around him, and a look of surprise came over his face. Then he put his notebook and pencil away, scratched his head and said, “Well, I’ll be blowed. I am in the wrong street!”

1. Which of the following statements is correct?

A. Stop signs can be found at every crossroads.

B. At crossroads with a “Slow” sign, drivers never have to stop.

C. At crossroads with a “Slow” sign, drivers have to stop and then go slow.

D. At some crossroads, drivers needn’t stop or go slow.

2. What do you think the policeman would do in the end?

A. Fine Mr. Williams.                     B. Take him to the police station.

C. Apologize to Mr. Williams.            D. Give Mr. Williams his notebook and pencil.

3. Which might be the best title for this passage?

A. Signs at the crossroads               B. A careful driver

C. A policeman and a driver            D. Policeman in the wrong street

My senior year of high school was very busy. If I wasn’t studying or worrying about 21 , I was taking part in many activities after class or attempting to make my plans for  22  .

       As the senior year began to slow down, I got a  23  job working at a local coffee shop. I had expected that the job would be   24  , but there are   25   when I was angry at the human race as a whole, simply because I couldn’t seem to   26  anyone. There was always too much sugar, too little ice, or not enough milk. However, I  27   working at this coffee shop.

       One day, one of my  28   customers came in, looking depressed and defeated. I asked what the    29   was and if I could help, but the customer wouldn’t say any details. He just said that he felt like lying on the bed,   30     the sheets up over his head, and staying there for a few years. I knew exactly how he felt. Before he left, I handed him a   31   with his coffee. He looked at me   32   because he hadn’t ordered anything but the coffee. He opened the bag and saw that I had given him his favorite cookies. “It’s on me.” I told him.

       The next day that customer came again.   33  ordering anything, he   34   me a pink rose and a thank-you note saying that not too many people took the time to care about   35   and that he was   36   there were still people like me in the world.

       As time went on, I came across many   37   customers. But anytime I felt  38  , I thought of that little  39  . Then I would smile, hold my head up high, clear my  40   and ask politely, “How can I help you?”