The advertisement appeared in my e-mail—“1-800-Flowers: Mother’s Day Madness —for just $39.99！” I almost clicked on it, forgetting that those services would not be needed this year. My mother, Margaret Feiddman, died at the age of 89, and so this is my first Mother’s Day without my mom.
In my childhood, my mom appeared to be a typical suburban housewife of her generation. She sewed many of my sisters’ clothes, including both of their wedding dresses and boy’s suits for me. And on the side, she won several national bridge tournaments(桥牌锦标赛).
My mom left many indelible marks on me. The first was to never lose heart and to be independent. My dad died suddenly when I was 19. My mom worked hard for a couple of years. But in1975, I won a scholarship to study in Britain and my mom surprised us all by announcing that she decided to go with me. When I met difficulties, she always said: “You’re a man, so never lose heart, never be knocked down, and try your best to pursue(追求) your dreams.”
My mom’s other big influence on me is a sense of optimism. She had taken her knocks. But every time life knocked her down, she got up and kept on marching forward, encouraged by the saying that pessimists(悲观者) are usually right, optimists are usually wrong, but most great changes are made by optimists.
How I wish to listen to my mother’s words, and give my best regards on this Mother’s Day, but I have no chance now! My best friends, treasure(珍惜)your mother’s love!
【小题1】The author mentioned the advertisement to ___.

A．show he’s tired of the advertisements

B．explain he missed his mother very much

C．make you believe that he was very kind

D．urge the readers to buy the present for their mothers

【小题2】What experience of the author’s mother surprised the author?

A．That she volunteered to go to Britain with her son.

B．That she gained knowledge all by herself.

C．That she did all the housework by herself.

D．That she won several national bridge tournaments.

【小题3】What dose the underlined word “indelible” in the 3rd paragraph probably mean?

A．be out of control	B．be easy to remember
C．be destroyed easily	D．be impossible to forget

【小题4】We can know about the author’s mother that_____.

A．She encouraged the author to pursue his dreams

B．she felt very lonely in her late life

C．She never received a present from her children

D．she passed away before the author’s father

【小题5】Which can be the best title for the passage?

A．My Great Mother	B．Mother and I
C．Treasure Mother’s Love	D．Mother’s Day Madness

Like many of my generation, I have a weakness for hero worship. At some point, however, we all begin to question our heroes and our need for them. This leads us to ask: What is a hero?
Despite immense differences in cultures, heroes around the world generally share a number of characteristics that instruct and inspire people.
A hero does something worth talking about. A hero has a story of adventure to tell and community who will listen. But a hero goes beyond mere fame.
Heroes serve powers or principles larger than themselves. Like high-voltage transformers, heroes take the energy of higher powers and step it down so that it can be used by ordinary people.
The hero lives a life worthy of imitation. Those who imitate a genuine hero experience life with new depth, enthusiasm, and meaning. A sure test for would-be heroes is what or whom do they serve? What are they willing to live and die for? If the answer or evidence suggests they serve only their own fame, they may be famous persons but not heroes. Madonna and Michael Jackson are famous, but who would claim that their fans find life more abundant?
Heroes are catalysts (催化剂) for change. They have a vision from the mountaintop. They have the skill and the charm to move the masses. They create new possibilities. Without Gandhi, India might still be part of the British Empire. Without Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr., we might still have segregated (隔离的) buses, restaurants, and parks. It may be possible for large-scale change to occur without leaders with magnetic personalities, but the pace of change would be slow, the vision uncertain, and the committee meetings endless.
【小题1】Although heroes may come from different cultures, they __________.

A．generally possess certain inspiring characteristics

B．probably share some weaknesses of ordinary people

C．are often influenced by previous generations

D．all unknowingly attract a large number of fans

【小题2】 According to the passage, heroes are compared to high-voltage transformers in that _______.

A．they have a vision from the mountaintop

B．they have warm feelings and emotions

C．they can serve as concrete examples of noble principles

D．they can make people feel stronger and more confident

【小题3】Madonna and Michael Jackson are not considered heroes because __________.

A．they are popular only among certain groups of people

B．their performances do not improve their fans morally

C．their primary concern is their own financial interests

D．they are not clear about the principles they should follow

【小题4】The author concludes that historical changes would __________.

A．be delayed without leaders with inspiring personal qualities

B．not happen without heroes making the necessary sacrifices

C．take place if there were heroes to lead the people

D．produce leaders with attractive personalities

Dear Kind-Trustee-Who-Sends-Orphans-to-College,
Here I am! I traveled yesterday for four hours in a train．It’s a funny feeling, isn’t it? I never rode in one before．
College is the biggest, most puzzling place—I get lost whenever I leave my room. I will write you a description later when I'm feeling less confused; also I will tell you about my lessons. Classes don't begin until Monday morning, and this is Saturday night. But I wanted to write a letter first just to get acquainted.
It seems strange to be writing letters to somebody you don't know. It seems strange for me to be writing letters at all—I've never written more than three or four in my life, so please overlook it if these are not a model kind.
Before leaving yesterday morning, Mrs. Lippett and I had a very serious talk. She told me how to behave all the rest of my life, and especially how to behave towards the kind gentleman who is doing so much for me. I must take care to be very respectful.
But how can one be very respectful to a person who wishes to be called John Smith? Why couldn't you have picked out a name with a little personality? I might as well write letters to Dear Flagpole or Dear Clothes-line.
I have been thinking about you a great deal this summer; having somebody take an interest in me after all these years makes me feel as though I had found a sort of family. It seems as though I belonged to somebody now, and it's a very comfortable feeling. I must say, however, that when I think about you, my imagination has very little to work upon. There are just three things that I know: I, You are tall. Ⅱ. You are rich. Ⅲ. You hate girls.
I suppose I might call you Dear Mr. Girl-Hater. Only that's rather rude to me. Or Dear Mr. Rich-Man, but that's rude to you, as though money were the only important thing about you. Besides, being rich is such a very external quality. Maybe you won't stay rich all your life; lots of very clever men get broke in Wall Street. But at least you will stay tall all your life! So I've decided to call you Dear Daddy-Long-Legs. I hope you won't mind. It's just a private pet name we won't tell Mrs. Lippett.
The ten o'clock bell is going to ring in two minutes. Our day is divided into sections by bells. We eat and sleep and study by bells. It's very lifeful. There it goes! Lights out. Good night.
Observe how precisely I obey rules--due to my training in the John Grier Home.
Yours most respectfully,
Jerusha Abbott
to Mr. Daddy-Long-Legs Smith
【小题1】Jerusha felt “confused” because ______.

A．she had never written to the trustee before

B．she was not familiar with the college yet

C．she could never find the way to her home

D．she had never traveled on a train berore

【小题2】Jerusha thought that she couldn’t be very respectful to “John Smith” because _______．

A．he was a total stranger to her

B．she was sure it was a false identity

C．the name was too common

D．nobody would like to be called that name

【小题3】The fact that her day is “divided into sections by bells” makes Jerusha feel______.

A．busy

B．restricted by rules

C．pressed for time

D．full of energy

【小题4】Jerusha decided to call the trustee Dear Daddy-Long-legs______.

A．in order to show her respect for him

B．because it was one of his inner quality

C．in older to make them feel closer to each other

D．because she had always wanted a father

Alexis was hot and tired. With rage in her voice she shouted, "Pull me up！I give up, I hate this. This is stupid!" It was at that moment when Jason, the adviser on the trip, looked at me and said, "Ed, I'm going to go down and talk with her." I then shouted down to Alexis, "Hold on! You can do this. We know you can!"
Jason grasped another rope, put his climbing harness(系带)on and began to repel down the cliff. Within moments Jason was beside Alexis. She had her cheek directly against the face of the rock with her feet barely resting on a small piece of the cliff that jetted outward. Jason said to Alexis, "I know that you have been on this cliff now for what seems like a long time. Your feet and fingers are cramping(痉挛)up and your forearms feel as though they are on fire. But , Alexis, you are strong, look how far up you are already. You have taken one of the more difficult paths up the cliff. Look Alexis, look at the path you have taken."
At that moment, Alexis moved her cheek away from the rock face and looked down. The bright white chalk she used on her hands to give her a better hold, showed the path where her tired hands had moved her upward on the cliff. Jason was right. Alexis had taken the hardest way up the cliff. Jason then looked straight into Alexis' eyes and in a calm voice he said, "You are not alone out here, there are people who care about you, who want to help you and see you succeed. We are going to do this together. Are you ready?" Slowly she shook her head yes and took a deep breath.
【小题1】Jason went down the cliff because _________.

A．Alexis took a wrong path	B．Alexis was trapped in rocks
C．Alexis didn't believe in herself	D．Alexis' forearms were badly hurt

【小题2】We can infer from the passage that ________.

A．Alexis was finally pulled up by Ed

B．Alexis regretted having taken the wrong path up the cliff

C．Alexis was immediately sent to hospital after she was pulled up

D．Alexis successfully rock climbed

【小题3】The underlined word "hot" in the story means _________.

A．disappointed

B．angry

C．uncomfortable

D．running a high body temperature

【小题4】Alexis would probably become _________.

A．more strong-minded	B．easier to give up
C．poorer in health	D．less interested in rock climbing

Moving to a new city and state was difficult for me, especially in winter. Little did I know that a Colorado snowstorm would greet me after I had been in my new home for only a week.
I just missed home. But more than the old house and the beach, I missed Stacey, my best friend. And I missed our lovely tea. Going to a sweet little tearoom, we had discovered was a special treat for us. The place was a Victorian dream, with delicate teacups and tablecloths with flower prints. The hat shelf near the front door swept us back to childhood. Stacey and I became little girls, trying on different hats until we found the perfect one for our dress-up tea party. We would then choose a lovely table and order our tea. That was a precious time, filled with laughter between scones（煎饼） and sharing our lives between tiny cucumber sandwiches.
Springtime descended upon Denver, and the sun lightened my heart. But I still fought loneliness almost every day. I decided to explore the Denver area. While my husband went to the office, I took time to see what our new area had to offer.
One day, I was walking along the street when suddenly the words "Tea Leaves" caught my eye. A tea room? Here, in the land of loneliness and pain?
I walked through the doors, and tears came to my eyes. It was a beautiful room, not Victorian, but simple and lovely.
I sat down and ordered a pot of tea, a cucumber sandwich, and some scones. It felt silly and wonderful --- and it felt like home. For the first time since moving, I felt as if this new city and state could be, would eventually be, my home. I would come back here and bring new friends. When Stacey visited, we would come here.
I lifted my cup and made a silent toast. I toasted Stacey, whom I missedly, and I toasted the sweet little tearoom that lessened my pain.
【小题1】The author's hometown ______________.

A．never snows	B．is still warm in winter
C．has a long history	D．is in an area by the sea

【小题2】The underlined word "treat" in Paragraph 2 probable means ____________.

A．delicious food	B．something pleasant
C．service	D．a kind of tea party

【小题3】We can know from Paragraph 3 that the author ______________.

A．didn't adapt to the new life

B．felt comfortable in the new environment in spring

C．didn't feel lonely any more in spring

D．wanted to actively adapt to the new environment

【小题4】Which of the following about "Tea Leaves" is true?

A．It made the author recall her childhood.

B．It looks silly and wonderful.

C．Cucumber sandwiches and scones are its specialties.

D．It touched the author.

【小题5】We can infer from the text that the author would probably ____________.

A．open her own teahouse

B．ask the owner of the teahouse to decorate it like a home

C．make new friends in Denver

D．go back to her hometown to visit Stacey

In choosing a friend, one should be very careful. A good friend can help you study. You can have fun together and make each other happy. Sometimes you will meet fair-weather friends, who will be with you as long as you have money or luck, but when you are down, they will run away. How do I know when I have found a good friend? I look for certain qualities (品质) of character, especially understanding, honesty and reliability (可靠).
Above all else, I look for understanding in a friend. A good friend tries to understand how another person is feeling. He is not quick to judge. Instead, he tries to learn from others. He puts himself in the other person’s place, and he tries to think of ways to be helpful. He is also a good listener.
At the same time, however, a good friend is honest. He does not look for faults (过错) in others. He notices their good points. In short, a friend will try to understand me and accept me.
Another quality of a friend is reliability. I can always depend on a good friend. If he tells me he will meet me somewhere at a certain time, I can be sure that he will be there. If I need a favor, he will do his best to help me. If I am in trouble, he will not run away from me.
There is a fourth quality that makes a friend special. A special friend is someone with whom we can have fun. We should enjoy our lives, and we would enjoy our friendship. That is why I especially like friends who are fun to be with. A good friend likes the same things I like. We share experience (经验) and learn from each other. A good friend has a good sense of humor, too. He likes to laugh with me. That is how we share in the joy of being friends. And I know that he is looking for the same quality in me.
When I meet someone who is reliable, honest, and understanding, I know I’ve found a friend!
【小题1】If you have fair-weather friends, _____.

A．they will give you all that they have when you need help

B．you will be refused when you get into trouble

C．you will become rich

D．you can be sure that you get real friends

【小题2】Good friends need to ______.

A．always point out each other’s mistakes

B．be helped with money

C．understand each other’s feelings

D．have money or luck.

【小题3】This passage mainly discusses ________.

A．the qualities of a friend

B．where to choose friends

C．how to get along with friends

D．the importance of having a friend

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 a week 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 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.
【小题1】Why was the bike so important to the couple?

A．They used it for work and daily life.

B．It was their only possession.

C．It was a nice Kona 18 speed.

D．The man's job was bike racing.

【小题2】What does the underlined phrase mean?

A．go very far to see someone

B．walk out on foot to greet someone

C．help someone

D．enjoy the moment with someone

【小题3】How did people get to know the couple's problem?

A．From a stranger.

B．From a newspaper.

C．From TV news.

D．From radio broadcasts.

【小题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.

【小题5】What is the best title of the passage?

A．Terrible Suffering

B．Lasting Smile

C．Ask strangers for help

D．Spreading Effect of Acts of Kindness

John and Booby joined a wholesale company together just after graduation from college the same year. Both worked very hard. After several years, however, the boss promoted（提升）Bobby to the position of manager but John remained an ordinary employee（雇员）. John could not take it any more, so he sent his resignation(辞职信) and complained that the boss did not value（重视）hard working workers but only promoted those who said good words of him.
The boss knew that John worked very hard for the years. He thought for a moment and said, “Thank you for telling me, but I have a request. I hope you will do one more thing for our company before you leave. Perhaps you will change your mind and take back your resignation.”
John agreed. The boss asked him to go and find out anyone selling watermelons in the market. John went and returned soon. He said he had found out a man selling watermelons. The boss asked how much per kg, John shook his head and went back to the market to ask and returned to tell the boss $1.2 per kg.
The boss told John to wait a second, and he called Bobby to go and find anyone selling watermelons in the market. Bobby went, returned and said only one person sold watermelons. $1.2 for a kg, $10 for 10kg and his watermelons added up to 340. On the table 58 melons, every melon weighs about 2 kg, bought from the south two days ago and they were fresh, red and good quality.
John was surprised and realized the difference between himself and Bobby. He decided not to go away but to learn from Bobby.
The story tells us that a more successful person is more concerned and thinks more. Chances are there in the daily details. For the same thing, a person sees one year ahead, while another sees only tomorrow. The difference between a year and a day is 365 times, how could you win?
【小题1】John wanted to stop his job in his company because_________.

A．Bobby was promoted but he was not

B．he didn’t want to say good words of his boss

C．he thought the boss didn’t take his hard work seriously

D．he didn’t want to be an ordinary employee

【小题2】The boss asked John to find out where watermelons were sold in order to _________.

A．persuade him to stay in the company

B．prove he was a hardworking worker

C．buy some watermelons for the company

D．prove his abilities at work for himself

【小题3】From what Bobby did, we can see that he was promoted only because _________.

A．he was a more concerned businessman

B．he knew how to do business

C．he was more experienced at work

D．he knew details about the watermelon market

【小题4】We can conclude from the story that _________.

A．one should stop his job if the boss doesn’t think much of his work

B．it’s necessary to know the market when you buy a watermelon

C．detail plays a very important part in one’s success

D．one should get along well with his boss if he wants to be promoted

【小题5】What can be the best title of the passage?

A．More Concerned, More Successful	B．How to Buy Watermelons
C．Who Is More Successful	D．Proud John

A farmer had some puppies to sell. He painted a sign advertising them on the edge of his yard.
One day, a little boy came to buy one of the puppies. With a whistle（口哨）, the farmer called, “Here, Dolly!” Out from the doghouse ran Dolly followed by four little balls of fur. The little boy stood against the fence（栅栏）. His eyes danced with happiness.
As the dogs made their way to the fence, the little boy noticed something else inside the doghouse. Slowly another little ball appeared, something wrong with its legs, doing its best to catch up.
“I want that one,” the little boy said.
The farmer knelt（跪下）down at the boy's side and said, “Son, you don't want that puppy. He will never be able to run and play with you like these other dogs would.”
With that, the little boy stepped back from the fence, reached down and began rolling up one leg of his trousers. In doing so, he showed a steel brace（固定器）running down both sides of his leg attaching itself to a specially made shoe. Looking back up at the farmer, he said, “You see, sir, I don’t run too well myself, and he will need someone who understands.”
【小题1】How did the farmer advertise his puppies?

A．Advertise them in the newspaper.	B．Put up a sign in his yard.
C．Show them to his neighbors.	D．Send pictures to a magazine.

【小题2】The underlined words “four little balls of fur” refer to “_________”.

A．four toy balls	B．four balls made of fur
C．four lovely dogs	D．four puppies with no fur

【小题3】Why did the boy choose the last dog?

A．Because they have something in common.

B．Because he didn't have enough money.

C．Because it was the most lovely one.

D．Because the farmer wouldn't sell other dogs.

【小题4】According to the story, we know that the boy _________.

A．didn't like dogs at all	B．needed a dog to help him
C．could run as fast as others	D．had an artificial leg

【小题5】Which of the following words best describes the boy?

A．clever

B．lovely

C．warm–hearted

D．strange

One day while shopping in a small town in southern California, it was my misfortune to be approached by a clerk．He seemed most unfriendly and not at all concerned about my intended purchase．I bought nothing, and marched angrily out of the store．
On the outside was a dark-skinned young man in his early twenties．His expressive brown eyes met and held mine, and in the next instant a beautiful, bright smile covered his face．I gave in immediately．The power of that broad smile dissolved all bitterness within me, and I felt the muscles in my own face happily responding．
"Beautiful day, isn't it?" I remarked, passing．Then I turned back．"I really owe you a debt of thanks," I said softly．
His smile deepened, but he made no attempt to answer．A Mexican woman and two men were standing nearby．The woman stepped forward and volunteered, "Sir, but he doesn't speak English．Do you want me to tell him something?" In that moment I felt transformed．The young man's smile had made a big person of me．My friendliness and good will toward all mankind stand ten feet tall．
“Yes,” my reply was enthusiastic and sincere, “tell him I said, ‘Thank you!’”
“Thank you?” The woman seemed slightly puzzled．
I gave her arm a friendly pat as I turned to leave．"Just tell him that," I insisted．"He'll understand．I am sure!"
Oh, what a smile can do! Although I have never seen that young man again, I shall never forget the lesson he taught me that morning．From that day on, I became smile-conscious, and I practice the art diligently anywhere and everywhere, with everybody．
【小题1】Why did the author leave the store angrily?

A．He couldn't buy what he wanted.

B．The clerk treated him unkindly．

C．The clerk didn't speak English．

D．The store's goods were too dear．

【小题2】By saying "I felt the muscles in my own face happily responding"(in Para. 2), the author means _       __________..

A．he smiled back at the young man	B．he did not want to smile
C．he would thank the young man	D．he was still in a bad mood

【小题3】The author asked the woman to say "Thank you!" to the young man because the young man        .

A．had helped the author before

B．taught the author how to smile

C．taught the author a valuable lesson

D．was a kind employee of the store

【小题4】In the passage, the author seems to suggest that we should __  ___.

A．be generous to strangers	B．practice smiling every day
C．help people in trouble	D．smile at other people