I returned to Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, after graduation. I had been there before my mother became a minister.  Two weeks later, I told my mother I was bored. She said, “Here’re the car keys. Go and buy some fruit.” ____ 1____, I jumped into the car and speeded off.

Seeing me or rather my ___ 2____, a boy sprang up（跳起来），   3__ to sell his bananas and peanuts. “Banana 50 naira. Peanut 200 naira!” Looking at his black-striped bananas, I    4__ to 200 total for the fruit and nuts. He    5__ . I handed him a 500 naira note. He didn’t have    6__ , so I told him not to worry. He was    7__ and smiled a row of perfect teeth.

When, two weeks later, I    8__ this same boy, I was more aware of my position in Nigerian society. I should    9__ this country as the son of a    10___. But it was hare to find pleasure in a place where it was so    11___ to see a little boy who should have been in school selling fruit.

“What’s up?” I asked. He answered in    12___ English, “I … I no get money o buy book.” I took out two 500 naira notes. He looked around    13___ before sticking his hand into the car    14___ the bills. One thousand naira means a lot to a family that    15___ only 50,000 each year.

The next morning, security officers told me, “In this place, when you give a little, people think you’re a fountain of opportunity（机会）.”    16__ it’s right, but this happens everywhere in the world. I wondered if my little friend had actually used the money for    17___. After six months’ work in northern Nigeria, I returned and saw him again standing on the road.  “Are you in school now?” He nodded. A silence fell as we looked at each other, then I    18___ what he wanted. I held out a 500 naira note. “Take this.”  He shook his head fiercely and stepped back    19__ hurt.  “It’s a gift.” I said. Shaking his head again, he handed me a basket of bananas and peanuts. “I’ve been waiting to     20___ these to you.”

A. Encouraged     B. Disappointed  C. Delighted   D. confused

A. car   B. mother   C. driver   D. keys

A. willing   B. afraid   C. eager   D. ashamed

A. got down  B. bargained down  C. put down  D. took down

A. explained   B. promised   C. agreed   D. admitted

A. change   B. notes   C. checks   D. bills

A. troubled  B. regretful  C. comfortable  D. grateful

A. ran after  B. ran into  C. ran over  D. ran to

A. protect  B. enjoy  C. help   D. support

A. minister  B. headmaster  C. manager  D. president

A. lucky  B. amazing  C. funny   D. common

A. old  B. broken   C. traditional  D. modern

A. proudly  B. madly   C. curiously  D. nervously

A. for   B. with   C. at   D. upon

A. spends   B. pays   C. makes   D. affords

A. possibly  B. actually  C. certainly  D. fortunately

A. joys   B. nuts   C. books   D. bananas

A. asked   B. imagined  C. reminded  D. realized

A. when   B. as if   C. even if   D. after

A. send   B. provide   C. sell    D. give

The easy way out isn’t always easiest. I learned that lesson when I decided to treat Doug, my husband of one month, to a special meal. I glanced through my cookbook and chose a menu which included homemade bread. Knowing the bread would take time, I started on it as soon as Doug left for work. As I was not experienced in cooking, I thought if a dozen was good, two dozen would be better, so I doubled everything. As Doug loved oranges, I also opened a can of orange and poured it all into the bowl. Soon there was a sticky dough (面团) covered with ugly yellowish marks. Realizing I had been defeated, I put the dough in the rubbish bin outside so I wouldn't have to face Doug laughing at my work, I went on preparing the rest of the meal, and, when Doug got home, we sat down to Cornish chicken with rice. He tried to enjoy the meal but seemed disturbed. Twice he got up and went outside, saying he thought he heard a noise. The third time he left, I went to the windows to see what he was doing. Looking out, I saw Doug standing about three feet from the rubbish bin, holding the lid up with a stick and looking into the container. When I came out of the house, he dropped the stick and explained that there was something alive in our rubbish bin. Picking up the stick again, he held the lid up enough for me to see. I felt cold. But I stepped closer and looked harder. Without doubt it was my work. The hot sun had caused the dough to double in size and the fermenting yeast (酵母) made the surface shake and sigh as though it were breathing. I had to admit what the ‘living thing’ was and why it was there. I don’t know who was more embarrassed by the whole thing, Doug or me.　　

The writer’s purpose in writing this story is ________.

　　A. to tell an interesting experience

　　B. to show the easiest way out of a difficulty

　　C. to describe the trouble facing a newly married woman

　　D. to explain the difficulty of learning to cook from books

Why did the woman’s attempt at making the bread turn out to be unsuccessful?

　　A. The canned orange had gone bad.

　　B. She didn’t use the right kind of flour.

　　C. The cookbook was hard to understand.

　　D. She did not follow the directions closely.

Why did the woman put the dough in the rubbish bin?

　　A. She didn’t see the use of keeping it

　　B. She meant to joke with her husband.

　　C. She didn’t want her husband to see it.

　　D. She hoped it would soon dry in the sun.

What made the dough in the rubbish bin look frightening?

　　A. The rising and falling movement.

　　B. The strange-looking marks.

　　C. Its shape.

　　D. Its size.

When Doug went out the third time, the woman looked out of the window because she was  ________.

　　A. surprised at his being interested in the bin

　　B. afraid that he would discover her secret

　　C. unhappy that he didn't enjoy the meal

　　D. curious to know what disturbed him

My father was raised in a fatherless home at a time when the family of five struggled to survive, which caused my father to be extremely tightfisted(吝啬) with money.

When we children became    16  that other children got pocket money from their parents, we made a(n)   17  to ask our father from some. Immediately his face turned stone-cold, and he said, “If you’re old enough to ask, you’re old enough to    18 .” And we had to seek odd jobs about the neighborhood.

He didn’t    19  his attitude as we grew into adulthood. There was a time when    20  of us had a car, so we had to ride a    21  whenever we came home. Though the bus stopped about two miles from home, Dad never met us, 22  in bad weather. If someone    23  (and my brothers did a lot), he’d say in his    24  father-voice. “That’s what your legs are    25  !”

One spring morning I was on the bus home from    26 . Tests and long hours in labs had    27  me exhausted. As other students were    28  at their stops. I looked silently out of the window. Finally, the bus came to a    29  at my destination, and I    30 , carrying my suitcase to begin the long journey home.

The row of privet hedge(树篱) came into    31 , which lined the driveway that climbed the hill to our house. I stopped to put a book in the suitcase. When I stood up, I saw something gray    32  along the top of the hedge toward the house.

It was the top of my father’s head. I    33  then, each time I came home, he would stand behind the hedge, watching,    34  he knew I had arrived safely. I held back my tears. He did care,   35 .

Upon reaching home, I found my father innocently in his chair. “So! It’s you!” he said, his face lengthening into surprise.

1.                A．aware          B．certain         C．surprised D．excited

 

2.                A．attempt         B．suggestion       C．trouble   D．plan

 

3.                A．spend          B．earn           C．survive   D．raise

 

4.                A．strengthen      B．soften          C．take D．show

 

5.                A．neither         B．each           C．all   D．none

 

6.                A．bicycle         B．car            C．train     D．bus

 

7.                A．especially       B．only           C．even D．once

 

8.                A．refused        B．complained      C．cried D．intended

 

9.                A．strangest       B．lowest          C．softest   D．scariest

 

10.               A．on            B．in             C．by   D．for

 

11.               A．work          B．home          C．town D．college

 

12.               A．led            B．made          C．found D．proved

 

13.               A．treated         B．received        C．met  D．greeted

 

14.               A．stop           B．house          C．street D．corner

 

15.               A．stepped off     B．went off        C．jumped on D．climbed on

 

16.               A．mind          B．view           C．flower D．leaf

 

17.               A．shining         B．flying          C．failing D．moving

 

18.               A．understood     B．thought        C．imagined  D．realized

 

19.               A．since          B．after           C．until D．though

 

20.               A．after all        B．above all        C．in advance D．in total

 

 

The young boy saw me, or rather, he saw the car and quickly ran up to me, eager to sell his bunches of bananas and bags of peanuts. Though he appeared to be about twelve, he seemed to have already known the bitterness of life. “Bananas 300 naira. Peanuts 200 naira.” He said in a low voice. I bargained him down to 200 total for the fruit and nuts. When he agreed, I handed him a 500 naira bill. He didn’t have change, so I told him not to worry. He said thanks and smiled a row of perfect teeth.

When, two weeks later, I saw the boy again, I was more aware of my position in a society where it’s not that uncommon to see a little boy who should be in school standing on the corner selling fruit in the burning sun. My parents had raised me to be aware of the advantage we had been afforded and the responsibility it brought to us. I pulled over and rolled down my window. He had a bunch of bananas and a bag of peanuts ready. I waved them away. “What’s up?” I asked him. “I … I don’t have money to buy books for school.” I reached into my pocket and handed him two fresh 500 naira bills. “Will this help?” I asked. He looked around nervously before taking the money. One thousand naira was a lot of money to someone whose family probably made about 5,000 naira or less each year. “Thank you, sir,” he said．“Thank you very much!”

When driving home, I wondered if my little friend actually used the money for schoolbooks. What if he’s a swindler? And then I wondered why I did it. Did I do it to make myself feel better? Was I using him? Later, I realized that I didn’t know his name or the least bit about him, nor did I think to ask.

Over the next six months, I was busy working in a news agency in northern Nigeria. Sometime after I returned, I went out for a drive. When I was about to pull over, the boy suddenly appeared by my window with a big smile ready on his face.

“Oh, gosh! Long time.”

“Are you in school now?” I asked. He nodded. “That’s good,” I said. A silence fell as we looked at each other, and then I realized what he wanted. “Here,” I held out a 500 naira bill. “Take this.” He shook his head and stepped back as if hurt. “What’s wrong?” I asked. “It’s a gift.” He shook his head again and brought his hand from behind his back. His face shone with sweat. He dropped a bunch of bananas and a bag of peanuts in the front seat before he said, “I’ve been waiting to give these to you.”

1.It can be inferred from the first paragraph that _________.

A．the boy was greedy

B．the boy had suffered a lot

C．the boy was in bad need of money

D．the boy was good at bargaining

2.The second time the author met the boy, the boy _________.

A．told him his purpose of selling fruit and nuts

B．wanted to express his thanks

C．asked him for money for his schoolbooks

D．tried to take advantage of him

3.The author gave his money to the boy because _________.

A．he wanted to make himself feel better

B．he had learnt to help others since childhood

C．he held a higher position in the society

D．his parents asked him to do so

4.What does the underlined word “swindler” mean?

A．troublemaker      B．beggar            C．thief             D．cheat

5.Which of the following best describes the boy?

A．Brave and polite．                      B．Kind and smart.

C．Honest and thankful．                   D．Shy and nervous.

 

One day a famous speaker gave a speech to a crowd of people. He held up a   36   bill. He asked, “Who would like this $20 bill ? ” Hands were   37   . Then he said, “I am going to give this $20 to one of you, but first let me do this.” He began to crumple（弄皱）the   38  . He then asked the audience, “   39   still wants it ?” Still the hands went   40  in the air.

  “ What   41   I do this? ” He asked, and he   42   it on the ground, and started to step on it. He   43   it up. Now the bill was   44   and crumpled. “ Now who still wants it?” Still the hands went up.

  “My friends,” He continued, “You have all   45    a good lesson . No matter   46   I did to the money, you still wanted it because the bill did not lose its   47   . It was still worth $20. Many times in our   48  , we are dropped, crumpled, and stepped on, because we sometimes  49   wrong decisions, or we may   50   with something we do not   51  .When that happens, we feel depressed and think we are   52  . But in fact no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value. The worth of our life comes not   53   what we do or whom we know, but in who we are! Don’t forget ‘the worth of a thing does not depend on its outside   54   , but on its inner value.’ This is the   55   of life.

A. 20 dollar         B. 20 dollars              C. 20-dollars      D. 20-dollar.

A. risen         B. put                C. raised               D. held

A. bill          B. paper               C. cash                      D. change

A. Somebody    B. Nobody             C. Anybody      D. You

A. up           B. down                C. above              D. around

A. should          B. can                 C. if            D. whether

A. threw           B. dropped             C. fell                D. put

A. showed         B. lifted                C. brought           D. picked

A. good            B. clean                C. large               D. dirty

A. given           B. learned              C. taught              D. taken

A. that              B. how                 C. what                D. why

A. value           B. price                C. effect              D. part

A. studies          B. work               C. fields               D. lives

A. do              B. make                C. give                       D. take

A. meet            B. deal                 C. talk                 D. get

A. like             B. hope                C. wish                D. expect

A. worthless      B. weak                C. poor                D. careless

A. from            B. in                  C. about               D. at

A. beauty          B. face                 C. looks              D. impression

A. lesson           B. truth                C. saying            D. story