I made a pledge (誓言) to myself on the way down to the vacation beach cottage. For two weeks I would
try to be a loving husband and father. Totally loving. No ifs, ands or buts.
     The idea had come to me as I listened to a talk on my car radio. The speaker was quoting a Biblical (圣经
的) passage about husbands being thoughtful of their wives. Then he went on to say, "Love is an act of will.
A person can choose to love." To myself, I had to admit that I had been a selfish husband. Well, for two weeks
that would change.
     And it did. Right from the moment I kissed Evelyn at the door and said, "That new yellow sweater looks
great on you."
     "Oh, Tom, you noticed," she said, surprised and pleased. Maybe a little puzzled.
     After the long drive, I wanted to sit and read. Evelyn suggested a walk on the beach. I started to refuse,
but then I thought, "Evelyn's been alone here with the kids all week and now she wants to be alone with me."
We walked on the beach while the children flew their kites.
     So it went. Two weeks of not calling the Wall Street firm where I am a director; a visit to the shell museum
though I usually hate museums. Relaxed and happy, that's how the whole vacation passed. I made a new pledge
to keep on remembering to choose love.
     There was one thing that went wrong with my experiment, however. Evelyn and I still laugh about it today. On the last night at our cottage, preparing for bed, Evelyn stared at me with the saddest expression.
     "What's the matter?" I asked her. 
     "Tom," she said in a voice filled with distress (悲痛), "do you know something I don't?"
     "What do you mean?"
     "Well…that checkup (体检) I had several weeks ago…our doctor…did he tell you something about me?
Tom, you've been so good to me…am I dying?"
     It took a moment for it all to sink in. Then I burst out laughing.
     "No, honey," I said, wrapping her in my arms. "You're not dying; I'm just starting to live."

1. From the story we may infer that Tom drove to the beach cottage __________.

A. with his family
B. with Evelyn
C. alone
D. with his children

2. During the two weeks on the beach, Tom showed more love to his wife because __________.

A. she looked lovely in her new clothes
B. he had made a lot of money in his Wall Street firm
C. he was determined to be a good husband
D. she was seriously ill

3. The author says, "There was one thing that went wrong with my experiment." What was the one thing
    that went wrong?

A. He praised her sweater, which puzzled her.
B. She insisted on visiting a museum, which he hated.
C. He knew something about her illness but didn't tell her.
D. He was so good to her that she thought she must be dying.

4. By saying "I'm just starting to live," Tom means that _____.

A. he is just beginning to understand the real meaning of life
B. he is just beginning to enjoy life as a loving husband
C. he lived an unhappy life before and is now starting to change
D. he is beginning to feel regret for what he did to his wife before

     Two traveling angels stopped to spend the night in the home of a wealthy family. The family was rude and
refused to let the angels stay in the guest room. Instead the angels were given a space in the cold basement. As
they made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel saw a hole in the wall and repaired it. When the younger
angel asked why, the older angel replied, "Things aren't always what they seem."
     The next night the pair came to rest at the house of a very poor, but very hospitable (好客的) farmer and
his wife. After sharing what little food they had, the couple let the angels sleep in their bed where they could
have a good night's rest. When the sun came up the next morning, the angels found the farmer and his wife in
tears. Their only cow, whose milk had been their only income, lay dead in the field.
     The younger angel was very angry and asked the older angel, "How could this happen? Why did you not
watch out for the cow? The first man had everything, yet you watched over his house," she accused, "The
second family had little but was willing to share everything, and you did not help."
     "Things aren't always what they seem," the older angel replied. "When we stayed in the basement, I noticed
there was gold stored in that hole in the wall. Since the owner was so greedy and unwilling to share his good
fortune, I asked God if I could seal the wall so he couldn't find it. Then last night as we slept in the farmer's
bed, the angel of death came for his wife. I ask God if the angel could take the cow instead. Things aren't
always what they seem."

1. Why did the older angel repair the hole for the rich family?

A. Because she didn't like the greedy owner.
B. Because she wanted to save the gold for the poor.
C. Because the basement was too cold to stay in.
D. Because she believed that one should always be ready to offer help.

2. In Paragraph two,"the pair" refers to _____.

A. the poor couple
B. the rich couple
C. the guests
D. the angels

3. The youngest angel was very angry because _____.

A. the old angel killed the farmer's cow
B. the old angel treated the two families differently
C. the wealthy man gave them a bad place to live
D. the angel of death took the cow away

4. Why did the older angel let the farmer's cow die?

A. Because God wanted the older angel to take the cow.
B. Because she wanted to teach the younger angel a lesson.
C. Because she wanted to save the farmer's wife.
D. Because she was sympathetic to the rich.

     A few days ago I asked my sons' governess (家庭女教师) Julia to come into my study. "Be seated, Julia,"
I said, "Let's settle our accounts. I guess you most likely need some money, but maybe you're too polite to
mention it. Now then, we agreed on thirty dollars a month..."
     "Forty."
     "No, thirty. I made a note of it. I always pay our governess thirty. Well, um, you've been here for two
months, so..."
     "Two months and five days." Exactly two months. I made a special note of it. That means you have sixty
dollars coming to you. Take nine Sundays off... you know you didn't work with Tom on Sundays, you only
took walks. And three holidays..." Julia was biting her fingernail nervously, her face red, but, not a word.
     "Three holidays, therefore take twelve dollars off your pay. Four days Tom was sick and there were no
lessons, as you were occupied only with Dick. Three days you had a toothache and my wife gave you
permission not to work after lunch. Twelve and seven makes nineteen. Take nineteen off... that 1eaves, hmm...
forty-one dollars. Correct?"
     Julia's left eye reddened with tears welling up. Her chin trembled, and she coughed nervously and blew her
nose, but still not a word.
     "Around New Year's Day you broke a teacup and a saucer; take two dollars off your pay. The cup cost
more, because it was a treasure of the family, but forget it. When didn't I take a loss! Then, due to your
neglect (疏忽), Tom climbed a tree and tore his jacket; take away ten. Also due to your carelessness the maid
stole Dick's shoes. You ought to watch everything! You get paid for it. So, that means five more dollars off.
The tenth of January I gave you ten dollars".
     "You didn't." sobbed Julia.
     "But I made a note of it."
     "Well... if you say so."
     "Take twenty-seven from forty-one, and that leaves fourteen."
     Both her eyes were filled with tears. Beads of sweat stood on the thin pretty little nose. Poor girl!
     "Only once was I given any money," she whispered, her voice trembling, "and that was by your wife.
Three dollars, nothing more."
     "Real1y? You see now, and I didn't know that! Take three from fourteen and it leaves eleven. Here's your
money, my dear. Three, three, three, one and one. Here it is!"
     I handed her eleven dollars. She took them and pocketed them.
     "Merci (Thanks)," she whispered.
     I jumped to my feet and started pacing the floor. I was overcome with anger. "For what, this merci"? I
asked.
     "For the money".
     "But you know I've cheated you-robbed you! I have actually stolen from you! Why this 'merci'?"
     "In my other places they didn't give me anything at all."
     "They didn't give you anything? No wonder! I played a little joke on you, a cruel lesson, just to teach you…I'm going to give you all the eighty dollars! Here they are in the envelope all ready for you…Is it really possible
to be so spineless (懦弱)? Why didn't you protest? Why were you silent? Is it possible in this world to be
without teeth and laws (爪)-to be such a fool?"
     Embarrassed, she smiled. And I could read her expression, "It is possible".
     I asked her pardon for the cruel lesson and, to her great surprise, gave her the eighty dollars. She
murmured her little "merci" several times and went out. I looked at her and thought, "How easy it is to crush
the weak in this World!"

1. While talking to Julia, the writer expected _____ from her.

A. a protest
B. gratitude
C. obedience
D. an explanation

2. What shocked the writer was Julia's _____.

A. nervousness in front of her boss
B. acceptance of injustice
C. shyness when talking about money
D. reluctance to express herself

3. The writer said, "Is it possible in this world to be without teeth and claws (爪)一to be such a fool?" He was
     actually telling the governess _____. 

A. to be more aggressive
B. to be more careful in her work
C. to protect her right
D. to live independently

4. From the story, we can know that Julia's employer was _____.

A. greedy but honest
B. ill tempered but warm-hearted
C. strict but forgiving
D. none of the above

     A young woman was diagnosed with a terminal illness (不治之症) and given three months to live. So as
she was getting her things "in order", she asked her pastor (牧师) to come to her house to discuss her final
wishes. With everything in order, the pastor was ready to leave when the young woman suddenly remembered
something very important to her.
     "What's that?" asked the pastor.
     "I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand."
     The pastor stood looking at the young woman, not knowing what to say.
     "That surprises you, doesn't it?" the young woman asked.
     "Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request," said the pastor.
     The young woman explained, "In all my years of going to church meetings and dinners, I remember that
when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would always lean over and say, 'Keep your
fork.' It was my favorite part because I knew that something better was coming, like chocolate cake or apple
pie,some dessert like that. Something wonderful! I just want people to see me there in that casket (棺材) with
a fork so that when they ask you why I have a fork, you can tell them: 'Keep your fork-the best is yet to
come.'"
     The pastor hugged the young woman good-bye. He knew that the young woman had a better grasp of
heaven than he did. She had a better grasp of what heaven would be like than many people twice her age, with
twice as much experience and knowledge.
     At the funeral people were walking by the young woman's casket and they saw the pretty dress she was
wearing and the fork placed in her right hand. Over and over, the pastor heard the question "Why does she
have a fork?" And over and over again he smiled.
     So the next time you reach down for your fork, let it reminded you of this young woman gently. Send the
message to everyone you consider a friend even if it means sending it back to the person who sent it to you.
     And, keep your fork!!

1. In the author's opinion, the woman in this passage is _____.

A. bored
B. optimistic
C. pessimistic
D. crazy

2. When enjoying a Western dinner, in the later part you have to "Keep your fork." This usually mean "_____".

A. Watch out for your fork.
B. I wish you good luck with the fork
C. Prepare your fork so that you can enjoy the dessert
D. You can not take away your fork

3. Which of the following is WRONG about the young woman?

A. She is optimistic about life and diseases.
B. She loves sweet food.
C. She wants her friends to remember her forever.
D. She is a regular church-goer.

4. According to the passage, "Keep your fork", the message may mean "_____".

A. Don't be discouraged. Everything will be better.
B. What is the matter? I am worried.
C. Have you heard the story of a young woman?
D. Enjoy your dinner.