That cold January night, I was growing sick of my life in San Francisco. There I was walking home at
one in the morning after a tiring practice at the theater. With opening night only a week away, I was still
learning my lines. I was having trouble dealing with my part-time job at the bank and my acting at night at
the same time.
     As I walked, I thought seriously about giving up both acting and San Francisco. City life had become too
much for me. As I walked down empty streets under tall buildings, I felt very small and cold. I began running,
both to keep warm and to keep away from any possible robbers. Very few people were still out except a few
sad-looking homeless people under blankets.
     About a block from my apartment, I heard a sound behind me. I turned quickly, half expecting to see
someone with a knife or a gun. The street was empty. All I saw was a shining streetlight. Still, the noise had
made me nervous, so I started to run faster. Not until I reached my apartment building and unlocked the door
did I realize what the noise had been. It had been my wallet falling to the sidewalk.
     Suddenly I wasn't cold or tired any more. I ran out of the door and back to where I'd heard the noise.
Although I searched the sidewalk anxiously for fifteen minutes, my wallet was nowhere to be found.
     Just as I was about to give up the search, I heard the garbage truck pull up to the sidewalk next to me.
When a voice called from the inside, "Alisa Camacho?" I thought I was dreaming. How could this man know
my name? The door opened, and out jumped a small red-haired man with an amused look in his eyes. "Is this
what you're looking for?" he asked, holding up a small square shape.
    It was nearly 3 a.m. by the time I got into bed. I wouldn't get much sleep that night, but I had got my
wallet back. I also had got back some enjoyment of city life. I realized that the city couldn't be a bad place as
long as people were willing to help each other.

1. How did the writer feel when she was walking home after work?

A. Cold and sick
B. Lucky and hopeful
C. Satisfied and cheerful
D. Disappointed and helpless

2. From the first paragraph, we learn that the writer was busy _____.

A. solving her problem at the bank
B. taking part in various city activities
C. learning acting in an evening school
D. preparing for the first night show

3.On her way home the writer _____.

A. lost her wallet unknowingly
B. was stopped by a garbage truck driver
C. was robbed of her wallet by a man with a knife
D. found some homeless people following her

4. In the fifth paragraph, why did the writer say she was dreaming?

A. Someone offered to take her back home
B. A red-haired man came to see her.
C. She heard someone call her name
D. Her wallet was found in a garbage truck

5. From the text, we can infer that the writer _____.

A. would stop working at night
B. would stay on in San Francisco
C. would make friends with cleaners
D. would give up her job at the bank

     Mr. Andrews was waiting for a subway train in the city. The train pulled into the station and stopped.
As Andrews was getting ready to board the train, he saw an elderly blind man fall to the tracks (站台).
David Schnair, aged 75, had mistaken the space between two subway cars for a door, while feeling his
way with a cane. Instead of ending up inside the train, Schnair fell off the platform and landed under the
train.
     Andrews jumped down to the tracks to save Schnair. He pulled the man to safety. Onlookers immediately
declared Andrews a hero. Messages began to pour in from all over the country. Some people sent checks.
The largest was for $3,000. President called Andrews and wished him a Merry Christmas and a good new
year.
     Andrews had been on the subway because he was returning from a job interview. He probably would
have been hired anyway, but all the good publicity (宣传) made it a sure thing.
     After about a week of newspaper stories and donations of food, money and gifts for his children, Andrews
faded from limelight. Most people assumed that the story had come to a happy ending, but it didn't quite
happen that way. Andrews did start his new job, but the company moved to New Jersey. Andrews didn't
have any way to get to work, so he had to give up. It wasn't long before he was back to job hunting and
being discouraged again. Few newspapers, however, bothered to tell their readers what happened to Mr.
Andrews after he became a hero.

1. Schnair fell off the platform because _____.

A. onlookers pushed him down
B. he was walking carelessly
C. he thought he was at a door
D. the train got to the station fast

2. What does the underlined sentence mean in Paragraph 4?

A. Andrews disappeared from the public attention.
B. Andrews lost his job for his fame.
C. Andrews gained his popularity with the public.
D. Andrews lost his interest in newspaper.

3. It can be inferred from the passage that _____.

A. it was not wise for Andrews to give up his job
B. the public didn't show enough kindness to Andrews
C. the newspapers paid little attention to Andrews' life
D. life is difficult for the unemployed

     Zhou Yang is a new journalist. He always says he will never forget his first assignment. On the first day,
the boss put him as an assistant, so he should 1_____ the experienced journalist in copying the story first.
Then he knew 2_____ was no need to take a camera as a photographer would help him to take photos. The
boss told him that 3_____ he wanted to be a good journalist, he should have a good nose. While listening, he
should try to prepare the next question 4_____ on what the other person says. When asked how to listen
carefully while taking notes, the boss said to get the facts straight, a recorder could be used if it is permitted.
To get a scoop, he should never be later than other newspapers but 5_____ of them. Zhou Yang believes that
the talk is to influence his life as a journalist.

     My father had returned from his business visit to London when I came in, rather late, to supper. I could
tell at once that he and my mother had been discussing something. In that half-playful, half-serious way I
knew so well, he said, "How would you like to go to Eton?"
     "You bet," I cried quickly catching the joke. Everyone knew it was the most expensive, the most famous
of schools. You had to be entered at birth, if not before. Besides, even at 12 or 13, I understood my father.
He disliked any form of showing off. He always knew his proper station in life, which was in the middle of
the middle class, our house was medium-sized; he had avoided joining Royal Liverpool Golf Club and went
to a smaller one instead; though once he had got a second-hand Rolls-Royce at a remarkably low price, he
felt embarrassed driving it, and quickly changed it for an Austin 1100.
     This could only be his delightful way of telling me that the whole boarding school idea was to be dropped.
Alas! I should also have remembered that he had a liking for being different from everyone else, if it did not
conflict (冲突) with his fear of drawing attention to himself.
    It seemed that he had happened to be talking to Graham Brown of the London office, a very nice fellow,
and Graham had a friend who had just entered his boy at the school, and while he was in that part of the
world he thought he might just as well phone them. I remember my eyes stinging (刺痛) and my hands
shaking with the puzzlement of my feelings. There was excitement, at the heart of great sadness.
     "Oh, he doesn't want to go away," said my mother, "You shouldn't go on like this." "It's up to him," said
my father. "He can make up his own mind."

1. The house the writer's family lived in was _____.

A. the best they could afford
B. right for their social position
C. for showing off
D. rather small

2. His father sold his Roils-Royce because _____.

A. it made him feel uneasy
B. it was too old to work well
C. it was too expensive to possess
D. it was too cheap

3. The writer's father enjoyed being different as long as _____.

A. it drew attention to him
B. it didn't bring him in arguments
C. it was understood as a joke
D. there was no danger of his showing off

4. What was the writer's reaction to the idea of going to Eton?

A. He was very unhappy.
B. He didn't believe it.
C. He was delighted.
D. He had mixed feelings.

5. We can know from the passage that _____.

A. Children who can go to Eton are very famous
B. Children can go to Eton if they will
C. It is very difficult for a child to get admitted by Eton
D. Children don't have the right to decide whether they will go to Eton

     Mr. Fitzpatrick has given much attention to his "Weight reduction" (减轻体重) programs. Just last year,
for example, when he was the main speaker at the company dinner, he said he put on twenty pounds instead
of losing thirty he promised he would.
     The year before that, he joined a health club. He exercised every day and ate less food. At the end of three
months, however, he began making excuses about why he couldn't go there more often.
     After the health club failed to work, he joined Weight Watchers but stopped going because he was the only
man there. And he hated following any of the diet programs. Fitz's latest idea is to join a walking club to "walk
off" the weight.

1. Mr. Fitzpatrick was _____ when spoke at the company dinner last year.

A. lighter than the year before
B. planning to go on a diet
C. heavier than the year before
D. with the Weight Watchers　

2. He did not stay with Weight Watchers because _____.

A. he couldn't do as the diet programs required him
B. he felt uncomfortable being watched by women
C. the members of Weight Watchers were all women but him
D. Both A and C　

3. Which of the following can best explain the main idea of the passage?

A. There is no good way to lose weight.
B. One can do nothing without a strong will.
C. There are different ways to lose weight.
D. Walking is the best way of losing weight.

     When I met him, I had a lot of anger inside of me. I've lived my whole life in Spanish Harlem, but in my
neighborhood, there are shoot-ups all the time. I know kids who have been shot or beaten up. I have friends
who ended up in prison. I could have ended up that way, too, but Mr. Clark wouldn't let that happen.
     Mr. Clark worked long hours, making sure I did my work. My grades rose. In fact, the scores of our
whole class rose. One day, he took our class to see The Phantom of the Opera, and it was the first time some
kids had ever been out of Harlem. Before the show, he treated us to dinner at a restaurant and taught us not to
talk with our mouths full. We did not want to let him down.
     Mr. Clark was selected as Disney's 2000 Teacher of the Year. He said he would draw three names out of
a hat; those students would go with him to Los Angeles to get the award. But when the time came to draw
names, Mr. Clark said, "You're all going."
     On graduation day, there were a lot of tears. We didn't want his class to end. In 2001, he moved to Atlanta,
but he always kept in touch. He started giving lectures about education, and wrote a bestselling book based on
his classroom rules, The Essential 55. In 2003, Mr. Clark took some of us on a trip to South Africa to deliver
school supplies and visit orphanages (孤儿院). It was the most amazing experience of my life. It's now my
dream to one day start a group of women's clubs, helping people from all backgrounds.

1. Without Mr. Clark, the writer _____.

A. might not have won the prize
B. might have been put into prison
C. might have joined a women's club
D. might not have moved to Atlanta

2. The Essential 55 is _____.

A. a show
B. a speech
C. a book
D. a classroom rule

3. How many students' names were finally drawn out of a hat by Mr. Clark?

A. None.
B. Three.
C. Fifty-five.
D. All.

4. In the passage, the writer intends to tell us that _____.

A. a good teacher has a good influence on his or her students
B. Mr. Clark helped to set up a group of women's clubs
C. a good teacher can help raise his or her students' scores
D. Mr. Clark went to South Africa because he liked travelling

     It was a warm April day when a big fat envelope came in the mail from the only college I had ever imagined
attending. I tore open the packet. My eyes were fixed on the word "congratulations". I don't remember ever
smiling so wide.
     Then I looked at my financial (财政的) package.
     The cost of Dream School's tuition (学费), room and board was around $ 40,000-an impossible sum! How
could I afford to attend? What good reasons did I have to go there when three other fine colleges were offering
me free tuition? My other choices were good, solid schools even if they weren't as famous as my first choice.
     In my mind, attending my dream university would be the only way to realize my dream of becoming a world-
class writer. My parents understood how I felt. They told me that even though it would be a financial problem,
I could go wherever I would be happiest. But as I was always careful with money, I wasn't sure what to do.
     One of the schools that offered me a full ride had an informational dinner one night in the spring. Considering
my parents' financial difficulties, I decided to drive the 45 minutes and attend. At first, all I had planned to do
was smile politely, eat free food, listen quietly. But I surprised myself.
     At dinner the president of the university talked about the wonderful activities on campus (校园) including
guest lectures and social gatherings. He also made it perfectly clear that free food would be offered at all future
events. He continued with explanations of professors, class sizes, activities, and sporting events on campus. As
he spoke, I began to realize that this school, though not as good as my first choice, might be the best one for
me. It seemed small yet with many great programs. It seemed challenging yet caring.
     As the president ended his speech, we clapped politely and pushed back our chairs. As I walked out that
door, a feeling of comfort washed over me. Looking at the campus that night, I realized that I would be spending
the next four years right there.
     In all honesty, my university is not as well-known as my "dream" university. However, it turned out to be
the right choice of schools for me.

1. How did the author feel when he started to read the letter?

A. He was uncertain which school to go to.
B. He was lost in his dream.
C. He was worried about the money.
D. He was full of joy.

2. We can learn from the passage that the parents were _____.

A. honest
B. supportive
C. strict
D. decisive

3. In Paragraph 5, "offered me a full ride" can be replaced by "_____".

A. would pay for transport to the school
B. would show me around the campus
C. would offer free meals at all events
D. would charge me nothing for tuition

4. What does the author mainly want to say?

A. You should consider comfort in your choice of schools.
B. Your second-choice college may actually by your best fit.
C. You should try your best to attend your dream school.
D. Your choice of schools should be based on their fame.