I know a little bit about Italy as my wife and I ________ there several years ago.

A. are going     B. had been    C. went          D. have been

---Can you read the sign, sir? No smoking allowed in the lift! 

---__________________.

A. Never mind                         B. Don’t mention it  

C. Sure, I don’t smoke                   D. Pardon me

“Goodbye, then,” she said, without even ___________ from her book.

A. looking down     B. looking up     C. looking away      D. looking on

The flowers were so lovely that they __________ in no time.

A. sold         B. had been sold       C. were sold        D. would sell

In the United States there was an unusual tale telling of the daughter of a mechanic （技工）. One day while walking along the bank of a lake, the girl  1   to see 20 eggs laid by a wild goose. After some time the girl   2   the mother would not return to her eggs and she   3   to take them home. There she carefully   4   the eggs in the heat of a lamp. Several days   5   the eggs broke and the baby geese came into the   6  .

Geese are known to take the first living thing they see as their mother.   7  , to these young geese, the girl was their mother.

As they   8  , the girl was able to   9   her birds to run across the grass, but she could not teach them to   10  . The girl became increasingly worried about this, both when   11   and in her dreams. Later, she had an   12  : She would pilot a plane to guide them in   13  . She asked her father for a plane and he assembled（组装）a small aircraft for her.

Caring about   14   safety, the father decided to pilot the plane himself. However, the birds did not   15  or follow him, and   16   slept in the grass.

One day, the girl   17   into the plane, started it and soon left the   18  . Seeing their mother take to the air, the birds   19   flapped（拍打）their wings and   20  . She flew the plane freely in the sky, her young birds following.

1. A. managed           B. attempted            C. happened        D. supposed

2. A. realized            B. expected             C. imagined        D. admitted

3. A. helped             B. decided              C. afforded         D. meant

4. A. placed             B. protected             C. treated          D. examined

5. A. ago               B. out                  C. later            D. long

6. A. family             B. lake                 C. home           D. world

7. A. But               B. Also                 C. Thus            D. Still

8. A. increased          B. improved             C. rose             D. grew

9. A. ask               B. lead                  C. want            D. allow

10. A. fly               B. race                  C. swim            D. sing

11. A. asleep            B. away                  C. around          D. awake

12. A. idea              B. opinion                C. explanation      D. excuse

13. A. sky               B. heaven                C. flight           D. plane

14. A. his               B. her                    C. their           D. its

15. A. respect            B. remember              C. recognize       D. receive

16. A. so                B. instead                C. hardly          D. too

17. A. climbed           B. looked                 C. reached         D. fell

18. A. house             B. floor                  C. water           D. ground

19. A. secretly            B. disappointedly          C. patiently        D. eagerly

20. A. looked away        B. set out                 C. went by        D. turned back

It was a winter morning, just a couple of weeks before Christmas 2005. While most people were warming up their cars, Trevor, my husband, had to get up early to ride his bike four kilometers away from home to work. On arrival, he parked his bike outside the back door as he usually does. After putting in 10 hours of labor, he returned to find his bike gone.

   The bike, a black Kona 18 speed, was our only transport. Trevor used it to get to work, putting in 60-hour weeks to support his young family. And the bike was also used to get groceries（食品杂货），saving us from having to walk long distances from where we live.

   I was so sad that someone would steal our bike that I wrote to the newspaper and told them our story. Shortly after that, several people in our area offered to help. One wonderful stranger even bought a bike, then called my husband to pick it up. Once again my husband had a way to get to and from his job. It really is an honor that a complete stranger would go out of their way for someone they have never met before.

   People say that a smile can be passed from one person to another, but acts of kindness from strangers are even more so. This experience has had a spreading effect in our lives because it strengthened our faith in humanity（人性）as a whole. And it has influenced（影响）us to be more mindful of ways we, too, can share with others. No matter how big or how small, an act of kindness shows that someone cares. And the results can be everlasting.

1. Why was the bike so important to the couple?

A. The man’s job was bike racing.           B. It was their only possession.

C. It was a nice Kona 18 speed.             D. They used it for work and daily life.

2. We can infer from the text that ____________.

A. the couple worked 60 hours a week.       B. people were busy before Christmas

C. the stranger brought over the bike         D. life was hard for the young family.

3. How did people get to know the couple’s problem?

A. From radio broadcasts.                 B. From a newspaper.

C. From TV news.                       D. From a stranger.

4. What do the couple learn from their experience?

A. Strangers are usually of little help.        B. One should take care of their bike.

C. News reports make people famous.       D. An act of kindness can mean a lot.

Many animals recognize their food because they see it. So do humans. When you see an apple or a piece of chocolate you know that these are things you can eat. You can also use other senses when you choose your food. You may like it because it smells good or because it tastes good. You may dislike some types of food because they do not look, smell or taste very nice. Different animals use different senses to find and choose their food. A few animals depend on only one of their senses, while most animals use more than one sense.

Although there are many different types of food, some animals spend their lives eating only one type. The giant panda（大熊猫）eats only one particular type of bamboo（竹子）. Other animals eat only one type of food even when given the choice. A kind of white butterfly（蝴蝶）will stay on the leaves of a cabbage, even though there are plenty of other vegetables in the garden. However, most animals have a more varied diet（多样化饮食）. The bear eats fruits and fish. The fox eats small animals, birds and fruits. The diet of these animals will be different depending on the season.

Humans have a very varied diet. We often eat food because we like it and not because it is good for us. In countries such as France and Britain, people eat foods with too much sugar. This makes them overweight, which is bad for their health. Eating too much red meat and animal products, such as butter, can also be bad for the health. Choosing the right food, therefore, has become an area of study in modern life.

1. We can infer from the text that humans and animals _________.

A. depend on one sense in choosing food     B.  are not satisfied with their food

C. choose food in similar ways             D. eat entirely different food

2. Which of the following eats only one type of food?

A. The white butterfly.                   B. The small bird.

C. The bear.                            D. The fox.

3. Certain animals change their choice of food when ___________.

A. the season changes                    B. the food color changes

C. they move to different places            D. they are attracted by different smells

4. We can learn from the last paragraph that __________.

A. food is chosen for a good reason         B. French and British food is good

C. some people have few choices of food    D. some people care little about healthy diet

Our “Mommy and Me” time began two years ago. My next-door neighbor and fellow mother, Christie, and I were out in our front yards, watching seven children of age 6 and under ride their bikes up and down. “I wish I could take one of my children out alone,” said Christie.

Then we worked out a plan: When Christie takes one of her children out, I’ll watch her other three. And when she watches two of mine, I’ll take someone out.

The children were extremely quick to accept the idea of “Mommy and Me” time. Christie’s daughter, McKenzie, went first. When she returned, the other children showered her with tons of questions. McKenzie was smiling broadly. Christie looked refreshed and happy. “She’s like a different child when there’s no one else around,” Christie shared with me quickly. With her mother all to herself, McKenzie didn’t have to make an effort to gain attention.

Just as Christie had noticed changes in McKenzie, I also discovered something different in each of my children during our alone times. For example, I am always surprised when my daughter, who is seldom close to me, holds my hand frequently. My stuttering（口吃的）son, Tom, doesn’t stutter once during our activities since he doesn’t have to struggle for a chance to speak. And the other son, Sam, who’s always a follower when around other children shines as a leader during our times together.

The “Mommy and Me” time allows us to be simply alone and away with each child ---talking, sharing, and laughing, which has been the biggest gain. Every child deserves（应得到）to be an only child at least once in a while.

1. What is the text mainly about?

A. The experience of the only child being with mother.

B. The advantage of spending time with one child at a time.

C. The happy life of two families.

D. The basic needs of children.

2. Right after McKenzie came back, the other children were _____________.

A. happy        B. curious        C. regretful        D. friendly

3. What is one of the changes the author finds in her children?

A. The daughter acts like a leader.         B. Sam holds her hand more often.

C. The boys become better followers.      D. Tom has less difficulty in speaking.

4. The author seems to believe that ___________.

A. having brothers and sisters is fun

B. it’s tiring to look after three children

C. every child needs parents’ full attention

D. parents should watch others’ children

Anyone who cares about what schools and colleges teach and how their students learn will be interested in the memoir（回忆录）of Ralph W. Tyler, who is one of the most famous men in American education.

Born in Chicago in 1902, brought up and schooled in Nebraska, the 19-year-old college graduate Ralph Tyler became hooked on teaching while teaching as a science teacher in South Dakota and changed his major from medicine to education.

Graduate work at the University of Chicago found him connected with honorable educators Charles Judd and W. W. Charters, whose ideas of teaching and testing had an effect on his later work. In 1927, he became a teacher of Ohio State University where he further developed a new method of testing.

Tyler became well-known nationality in 1938, when he carried his work with the Eight-Year Study from Ohio State University to the University of Chicago at the invitation of Robert Hutchins.

Tyler was the first director of the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences at Stanford, a position he held for fourteen years. There, he firmly believed that researchers should be free to seek an independent（独立的）spirit in their work.

Although Tyler officially retired in 1967, he never actually retired. He served on a long list of educational organizations in the United States and abroad. Even in his 80s he traveled across the country to advise teachers and management people on how to set objectives（目标）that develop the best teaching and learning within their schools.

1. Who are most probably interested in Ralph W. Tyler’s memoir?

A. Top managers.                    B. Language learners.

C. Serious educators.                 D. Science organizations.

2. The words “hooked oh teaching” underlined in Paragraph 2 probably mean ________.

A. attracted to teaching               B. tired of teaching

C. satisfied with teaching             D. unhappy about teaching

3. Where did Tyler work as the leader of a research center for over 10 years?

A. The University of Chicago.         B. Stanford University.

C. Ohio State University.             D. Nebraska University.

4. Tyler is said to have never actually retired because ____________.

A. he developed a new method of testing    B. he called for free spirit in research

C. he was still active in giving advice       D. he still led the Eight-Year Study

Today about 70 countries use Daylight Saving Time (DST). Daylight Saving was first introduced during World War I in Australia. During the world wars, DST was used for the late summers beginning January 1917 and 1942, and the full summers beginning September 1942 and 1943.  

In 1967, Tasmania experienced a drought（干旱）. The State Government introduced one hour of daylight saving that summer as a way of saving power and water. Tasmanians liked the idea of daylight saving and the Tasmanian Government has declared daylight saving each summer since 1968. Persuaded by the Tasmanian Government, all states except two passed a law in 1971, for a test use of daylight saving. In 1972, New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria joined Tasmania for regular daylight saving, but Queensland did not do so until 1989.

Tasmania, Queensland and South Australia have had irregular plans, often changing their dates due to politics or festivals（节日）. For example, in 1992, Tasmania extended（延长）daylight saving by an extra month while South Australia began extending daylight saving by two weeks for the Adelaide Festival. Special daylight saving plans were made during the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.

The differences in daylight saving in Australia continue to cause serious problems in transport and many other social activities. It also reduces the number of hours in the working day that are common to all centers in the country. In particular, time differences along the east coast cause major differences, especially for the broadcasters of national radio and television.

1. Daylight Saving Time was introduced in Tasmania _______________.

A. to stop the drought in 1967          B. to support government officials

C. to pass a special law in the state      D. to save water and electricity

2. According to the text, which state was the last to use DST?

A. Victoria.                         B. Queensland.

C. South Australia.                   D. New South Wales.

3. What can we learn about DST in some Australian states?

A. It doesn’t have fixed dates.          B. It is not used in festivals.

C. Its plan was changed in 2000.        D. It lasts for two weeks.

4. What do we know about the use of DST from the last paragraph?

A. There exist some undesirable effects.    B. It helps little to save energy.

C. It brings about longer working days.     D. Radio and TV programs become different.