Few people ever took notice of Mr Jimmy Tan whenever he entered a room. He was a shy, quiet and
simple man who preferred to keep to himself in public. On the other hand, Mr Thomas Kim, a fellow
scientist, was a man everyone would notice on the streets. He wore bright outfits with huge flower prints,
spoke with a booming voice, and his laughter could be heard from all corners of a room. In addition to the
differences in their characters, Mr Kim and Mr Tan were also great rivals at work in the Institute of Future
Science.
     On Christmas Eve, everyone left work early to celebrate the special occasion, except for Mr Tan and
Mr Kim. They were in their laboratory analysing the results of their latest experiments. Mr Tan realized that
something special was taking place in his experiment -the bacteria he had cultured were growing extremely
quickly under high pressure and at a very low temperature. After noting down the findings in his notebook,
he left the room to prepare for another round of tests. Shortly after, Mr Kim entered.
     "Hey Jimmy," Mr Kim called out,"do you have an extra copy of the laboratory booking form?"
      There was no reply, so Mr Kim looked through Mr Tan's things. He soon found Mr Tan's notebook and
was horrified to see that Mr Tan had managed to make one of the most important discoveries in modern
science. He then looked into the deep-freeze cupboard where a dish containing the bacteria was kept. He put
them into his pocket and returned to his own laboratory.
     Mr Tan came back an hour later to find his notebook and the dish missing. He knew that Mr Kim had
taken them and went to Mr Kirn's laboratory to find out. When he opened the door, he found Mr Kim lying
on the floor motionless. His face was pale and his skin had turned black. The deadly bacteria had been handled
improperly. He shook his head and left.

1. From the first paragraph we know Mr Kim was a quite _____ person.

A. famous
B. hardworking
C. wealthy
D. outgoing

2. The underlined word "rivals" in the first paragraph is closest in meaning to _____. 

A. enemies
B. colleagues
C. competitors
D. friends

3. What does the underlined word "them" refer to in the 4th paragraph?

A. the most important discoveries
B. the notebook and the dish
C. the cupboard and the bacteria
D. the dish and the bacteria

4. Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A. Mr.Kim was afraid Mr.Tan might succeed ahead of him.
B. Mr.Tan's bacteria grew very fast in a warm container.
C. Mr Tan worked much harder than Mr.Kim.
D. Mr Kim was so tired that he fell down into sleep.

5. What happened to Mr.Kim in the end?

A. He died on Christmas Eve.
B. He was arrested by the police.
C. He shared the success with Mr.Tan.
D. He succeeded ahead of Mr.Tan.

     When I wake up on summer mornings, I know I am going to my favorite place to volunteer and make
a difference in someone's life just by being with him or her-a summer school for autistic (患孤独症的)
children.
     By helping the kids read or do math, I am not only teaching important skills but also helping them feel
like any other kid. There are many wrong ideas about autism. The kids I work with can think and feel.
They need help only in certain areas.
     Of course, each kid is special. For example, some kids like to draw, and others like to sing.
     At the school, the kids learn through about 20 activities. These activities can help them learn skills they
will need later in life.
     The very first day I volunteered, a boy came up to me, put his hand on my shoulder, and said "Hello."
From then on, I knew I could make a difference.
     Another boy loved to have me read books that can help him learn to read. Sometimes he could be
encouraged to read a few words or sentences. Finally, one day during reading practice, he read nearly 220
words himself!
     Summer school is also a time for fun. Last summer, bagpipe (风笛) players came to perform. Most of
us had our hands over our ears because they were so loud. When they asked for a volunteer from the
audience, one girl raised her hand as high as she could, got up on stage, and even tried the bagpipes in front
of everyone.
     Through these experiences, I realize that the challenges these kids face do not stop them from doing
many amazing things. I'm teaching them, but they are teaching me more.

1. According to Paragraph 2, many people think autistic kids _____.

A. can't read or do math
B. don't have important skills
C. don't play with other kids
D. can't think or feel

2. The author believed he could make a difference when _____.

A. a boy greeted him actively
B. a boy let him read books
C. a boy could read by himself
D. a girl tried the bagpipes

3. The phrase "these experiences" in the last paragraph refers to the following EXCEPT _____.

A. "I" read the books for kids
B. a boy read nearly 220 words himself
C. a girl tried the bagpipes on stage as a volunteer
D. a boy said hello to "me" politely

4. What does the author mainly talk about in the passage?

A. His teaching experience in a summer holiday.
B. How to make a difference in others' lives.
C. His experience as a volunteer in a special summer school.
D. Autistic children's hard life.

     I suddenly heard an elephant crying as though frightened. Looking down, I immediately recognized that
something was wrong, and ran down to the edge of the near bank. There I saw Ma Sh we with her
three- month- old calf struggling in the fastrising water, and it was a life- and- death struggle. Her calf was
floating and screaming with fear. Ma Shwe was as near to the far bank as she could get, holding her whole
body against the rushing water, and keeping the calf pressed against her huge body. Every now and then the
rushing water would sweep the calf away.
     There was a sudden rise in the water and the calf was washed clean over the mother's body and was
gone. Ma Shwe turned quickly to reach it and pressed the calf with her head and trunk (象鼻) against the
rocky bank. Then with a huge effort, she picked it up in her trunk and tried until she was able to place it on
a narrow shelf of rock.
     Just at this moment, she fell back into the river. If she were carried down, it would be certain death. I
knew, as well as she did, that there was one spot (地点) where she could get up the bank, but it was on the
other side from where she had put her calf.
      While I was wondering what I could do next, I heard the sound of a mother's love. Ma Shwe had crossed
 the river and got up the bank and was making her way back as fast as she could, roaring (吼叫) all the time,
but to her calf it was music.

1. The moment the author got down to the river bank he saw _____.

A. the calf was about to fall into the river
B. Ma Shwe was placing the calf on the rock
C. the calf was washed away by the rising water
D. Ma Shwe was holding the calf against the rushing water

2. How did Ma Shwe manage to save her calf from the fast flowing water?

A. By putting it on a safe spot.
B. By pressing it against her body.
C. By taking it away with her.
D. By carrying it on her back.

3. How did the calf feel about the mother elephant's roaring?

A. It was a great comfort.
B. It was a sign of danger.
C. It was a call for help.
D. It was a musical note.

4. What can be the best title for the text?

A. A Mother's Love
B. A Brave Act
C. A Deadly River
D. A Matter of Life and Death

     "BANG" the door caused a reverberation. "Never set foot in this house again!" shouted father. With tears
welling(涌出)up in my eyes,I rushed out of the house and ran along the street.
     A young father who held a child in his arm walked past rile. I felt as if I saw my childhood from another
space:happy and harmonious (和谐).
      But now I don't know whether it is because I have grown up or because Dad is getting old. We are just
like two people coming from two different worlds. It feels like there is an iron door between us that can never
be opened.
     I wandered the street, without a destination in my mind. My heart was frozen on this hot summer night.
As I walked on there were fewer and fewer people in the streets, until I had only streets to keep me company.
When I finally reached the high rise apartment block in which I lived, I saw that the light was still on.
     I thought to myself, "Is father waiting for me, or is he still angry with me?" In fact, it was nothing.
Perhaps, Dad was throwing some of his old stamps. Perhaps he thought they were useless. I never had the
courage to tell him that I liked collecting stamps.
      All the lights were off except father's.
     Dad was always like this. Maybe he didn't know how to express himself. After shouting at me, he never
showed any mercy or regret. After an argument he will creep (蹑手蹑脚) up in my sleep and then tuck me
underneath the covers.
     This was how he always was. He has been a leader for so long that telling everyone else what to do has
become his second nature.
     The light was still on. With the key in hand, I was as nervous as I had ever been. At last, I decided to
open the door. As soon as I opened the door tears ran down my cheeks. I suddenly realized that the iron door
that I had imagined between us did not exist at all. Love－it is second to none.

1. The underlined word "reverberation" refers to _____.

A. an earthquake
B. a heavy Mow
C. a shake
D. a sound forced back

2. When seeing a young father with a child in his arm,the writer might have the following
    feelings EXCEPT _____.

A. he/She admired them very much
B. he/She wished that the relation between him/her and his/her father could also be so harmonious
C. he/She felt that happiness had been far away from him/her
D. he/She felt disappointed with his/her father

3. Why do you think the father often shouts at his child?

A. The father is getting older and older.
B. The child had already grown up.
C. They never agree with each other.
D. The father has got used to doing that.

4. What conclusion can you draw after reading the text?

A. The father treats his child in an unfair way.
B. The father is actually kind to his child.
C. The father is neither kind nor cruel to his child.
D. The father is always finding fault with his child.

     What is your favourite colour? Do you like yellow, orange, red?   1   . Do you prefer greys and blues?
Then you are probably quiet, shy, and you would rather follow than lead. You tend to be pessimist. At least,
this is what psychologists tell us, and they should know, because they have been seriously studying the
meaning of colour preference, as well as the effect that colours have on human beings.    2   . If you happen
to love brown, you did so, as soon as you opened your eyes, or at least as soon as you could see clearly. 
       3   . A yellow room makes most people feel more cheerful and more relaxed than a dark green one;
and a red dress brings warmth and cheer to the saddest winter day.    4   . A black bridge over the Thames
River, near London, used to be the scene of more suicides (自杀) than any other bridge in the area-until it was
repainted green. The number of suicide attempts immediately fell sharply. Perhaps it would have fallen even
more if the bridge had been done in pink or baby blue. 
       5  . It is an established fact that factory workers work better, harder, and have fewer accidents when
their machines are painted orange rather than black or grey.

A. On the other hand, black is depressing.
B. They tell us, among other facts, that we do not choose our favourite colour as grow
    up-we are born with our preference.
C. The rooms are painted in different colours as you like.
D. If you do, you must be an optimist, a leader, an active person who enjoys life, people and excitement.
E. Light and bright colours make people not only happier but more active.
F. Life is like a picture or a poem, full of different colours.
G. Colours do influence our moods-there is no doubt about it

     I'm a volunteer for The American Diabetes (糖尿病) Association(ADA). I am on the planning committee
for a one-day cycling event called "Tour de Cure". It's sponsored by the ADA and the profits( 利润) of this
event are used for diabetes research and program funding.
     While I was talking to people about our "Tour de Cure" event in downtown Denver one day, I met a young
boy wearing a red hat from Oklahoma named Jack. I think he was 10-11 years old. It was the jar of red
rubber wrist bands (The American Diabetes Association diabetes awareness wrist bands) that caught Jack's
eye. These are the bands we give out to people who have diabetes, who have a family member who has
diabetes or to those people who know someone who has diabetes.
     People wear these for a variety of reasons: in memory of a loved one, to promote diabetes awareness and
to show support for people who have diabetes. Jack walked towards me eyeing the jar and then he said, "Can
I have one of those?" So, I replied to Jack, "Do you have someone in your family who has diabetes?" Jack
said,"No, but I know someone who has diabetes." So I gave him one to wear for his friend.
     Then, Jack began looking at our "Tour de Cure" photo album. When Jack had finished and was about to
go, he looked up at me and said,"Would you take a donation?" I was surprised to hear this from a
10-11-year-old boy, but I said, "Yes." I took the lid of our donation container off as Jack was reaching into
his pocket. His hand came out clinched around the donation he was about to make. It was my impression that
what he had in his hand was everything he had in his pocket, as he did not count it. After Jack dropped his
donation into the container, I gave him a high-five, as I so often do to acknowledge an accomplishment or
an appreciation. I also gave him a handshake before he parted. After Jack left, I counted his gift-$3.00. I then
realized that he gave all he had, without counting the cost.
     The heart of a child made me smile that day. Thank you, Jack.

1. What attracted Jack to walk towards the author?

A. The jar
B. The hat
C. The photo album
D. The donation container

2. It was probable that Jack wore a wrist band to _____.

A. prove his confidence in fighting diabetes
B. promote his strong diabetes awareness
C. express his love for his family members
D. support his friend who has diabetes

3. That Jack wanted to make a donation surprised the author because the author thought_____.

A. Jack was telling a lie to him
B. Jack was playing a joke on him
C. Jack was brave enough to do so
D. Jack was a great person for his age

4. What would be the best title of the passage?

A. A lovely boy I met
B. The heart of a child
C. A moving day I spent
D. The donation of a child

     My wife passed away a few years ago, and I went through the worst time in my life. I even wanted to
kill myself. Just for kids, I had to continue to live and work as small-town doctor at my medical clinic in
Hawaii. My kids had gone to live on the mainland, and I was alone. Then they asked me to have a family trip.
      On our trip, we turned on the TV at the motel and saw the second plane crash into the World Trade
Center. Seeing it falling down, I said to my kids:"I'm going to Afghanistan". And a few weeks later,
international Medical Corps sent me to set up 20 clinics in provinces where people had no health care.
     In these field clinics surrounded by frightening shoots or deadly bombs, we were eventually serving
27,000 patients a month in a very busy schedule. Tired and nervous, I gradually had a sense of achievement,
a sense of purpose, and my depression went away. In the years to follow, I went to Indonesia after the
tsunami, Pakistan after the earthquakes, Sudan after the civil warm and Iraq after more and more bombs.
Each time after disasters one after another, hundreds of people were killed, wounded and many more had to
flee. We once set up movable clinics in an area with 19,000 refugees, and it was supposed to hold 13,000
originally. Flu broke out, one of the biggest killers of kids in refugee camps, and it spread like wildfire. Water
and food were also serious problems."Adventures or not?" I often asked myself.
     When my wife passed away, I thought my life was done. But in reality, it was just getting started. At the
end of her life, she went unconscious. I held her head in my hands and told her of all the places we would
visit and the exciting adventures we would have.
      I think about the moment many times during my "adventures". I didn't know how predictive those words
would be. But I know that she is still with me.

1. Where has the doctor been in the past few years?

A. Some countries where he could set up clinics.
B. Some African countries where flu broke out.
C. The places where the earthquakes happened.
D. The places that the horrible disasters struck.

2. How would the doctor describe his life after he had worked in Afghanistan?

A. Tired and troublesome.
B. Busy and risky.
C. Meaningful and helpful
D. Frightening and depressing.

3. The underlined word "refugees" means people ______.

A. who are robbed, killed, or wounded
B. who suffer from flu in movable clinics
C. who like to take adventures
D. who have lost homes because of disasters.

4. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? 

A. the doctor's wife encouraged him to work in foreign countries.
B. What the doctor said to his wife before her death became reality.
C. The doctor's adventures made him understand the love of his wife.
D. With the true love of his wife, the doctor started to change his life.

     Public schools in Washington, D.C. provide students with musical instruments for free. When something
goes wrong with an instrument, Charles West and Larry Jernigan do the repairs. Both men approach their
work with a passion. For them, it's important that students have a joyful experience with music.
     The two have worked together for almost 20 years. This year alone, they've fixed about 450 instruments.
Both men are musicians and music lovers, so learning to do repairs came naturally.
     "I have been a musician all my life." says West. "I played in an orchestra here in the city. I majored in
music in college. I played in an army band."
     Jernigan's musical interests are varied. "I was formerly trained in the piano and guitar. The alto sax, and
the flute, I picked up while working here."
     In addition to fixing instruments, the two also go to schools to instruct teachers and students on how to
make minor repairs on their own.
     West believes if children start early and stay involved with music, it enriches other areas of their lives. "I
see that in other kids. I see it in myself. I have seen it hundreds of times and it works," he says. "They learn
teamwork. They learn patience and respect."
     But West has concerns about the future of music in the electronic age.
     "This instant age has taken away from the sit-down, the patience. And to learn to play an instrument, it
takes patience, it takes diligence, it takes time."
      Being able to enjoy music on the job is one of the benefits of the job. Both men agree their best rewards
are the students' performances.

1. What's the job of West and Jernigan at school?

A. Teaching music.
B. Writing music.
C. Making musical instruments.
D. Repairing musical instruments.

2. They love the job because they can _____.

A. earn more money
B. learn repair skills
C. enjoy music
D. watch performances

3. Which of the following is true of the two men?

A. They have fixed 450 instruments in the past 20 years.
B. They can play and repair musical instruments.
C. Jernigan used to play in an army band.
D. West was trained to play the piano.

4. According to West, what can people learn from music?

A. Teamwork and patience.
B. The value of time.
C. The truth of society.
D. Diligence and confidence.

5. What is mainly talked about in the text?

A. How to repair musical instruments.
B. Learning experiences of two repairmen.
C. How to prepare a musical performance.
D. The enjoyable job of two music lovers.