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.

56. 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.

57. 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.

58. 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.

59. 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.

 

 

Elizabeth Clay decided to go home and spend the holiday with her parents. The next day she drove her old car home along the road. ___36___ she found she got a flat. The 22-year-old student ___37___to stop her car by the side of the road in the winter night and opened the trunk. no ___38___ tire.

At this time, a car ___39___. Paul and Diane told Clay to ___40___ them to a service station near their ___41___. They arrived to see that it had no suitable tires to ___42___ with her car. “Follow us home,” said Paul.

The couple called around to find a tire. No___43___. They decided to let her use their own car. “Here,” Paul said, handing Clay a ___44___ of keys, “Take our car. We ___45___ be using it over the holiday. ”

Clay was ___46. “But I’m going all the way to South Carolina, and I’ll be gone for two weeks,” she ___47___ them.

“We know,” Paul said. “We’ll be ___48___ when you get back. Here’s our number if you need to ___49___ us. ”

Unable to believe her eyes, Clay watched as the ___50___ put her luggage into their car and then ___51___ her off. Two weeks later she ___52___ to find her old car cleaned inside and out with three new tires and the radio ___53___.

“Thank you so much,” she said. “How much do I ___54___ you?” “Oh, no,” Paul said, we don’t want any money. It’s our ___55___. ” Clay realized that while it might have been their pleasure, it was now her duty to pass on their “do unto others” spirit.

36. A. Suddenly     B. Finally       C. Immediately      D. Fortunately

37. A. afforded      B. wanted       C. allowed      D. managed

38. A. spare    B. free    C. full     D. empty

39. A. passed  B. stopped      C. paused       D. started

40. A. help     B. push   C. take    D. follow

41. A. garage  B. house  C. shop   D. hotel

42. A. agree    B. match C. go      D. deal

43. A. way      B. message     C. success       D. luck

44. A. set B. number      C. pair    D. chain

45. A. can’t    B. shouldn’t    C. mustn’t      D. won’t

46. A. satisfied       B. worried      C. astonished  D. disturbed

47. A. persuaded    B. advised      C. reminded    D. promised

48. A. happy   B. here    C. away   D. busy

49. A. get in touch with B. keep in touch with

C. be in touch with        D. put in touch with

50. A. repairmen    B. cleaners      C. friends       D. couple

51. A. sent      B. shook  C. watched     D. drove

52. A. shocked       B. happened    C. returned     D. came

53. A. loaded  B. fixed   C. tied     D. rebuilt

54. A. owe      B. lend    C. give    D. offer

55. A. wish     B. job     C. duty    D. pleasure

I was listening to the radio while 1 was driving home from coaching basketball yesterday. I could tell right away that there was something  41  by the mood of the speaker. There had been a plane crash. What made the 42  even more tragic was that Bob Collins，the morning show man, was among those who had been killed. Throughout my 40-minute  43 , I listened as sincere love and affection from the audience  44 .The more I listened about how this man had influenced those around him, the more   45 I became.

That was because I wanted to know  46 we as a culture, wait until somebody has passed away before we tell them how much they  47 to us? Why do we wait until it is too late before we  48 someone up after they have died? Yes，49  memory after memory about someone's good  50 does help us cope with the sadness of losing someone special to us. But as we  51 remember this person, our words fall short of the ears that most need to hear  52 .

Just once,  53 a gathering of death，1 would like to see a celebration of life,  54 stories are told, tears fall down，laughter rings out；and as the speaker  55 his or her loving tribute(颂词), the person they are  56  rises from the chair and gives them a  57 hug! Wouldn’t that be   58 !

Life is too short to leave kind words   59 . How I wish that when the unavoidable funeral finally comes，we could say  60 with the knowledge that they knew exactly how people felt about them while they were here on earth.

1.                A．important       B．wrong          C．pleasant  D．unnoticed

 

2.                A．speaker        B．radio           C．station   D．story

 

3.                A．drive          B．silence         C．ride D．tour

 

4.                A．poured in       B．grew up        C．broke out D．got through

 

5.                A．determined     B．delighted       C．discouraged   D．devoted

 

6.                A．what           B．that            C．if    D．why

 

7.                A．impress        B．love           C．mean D．affect

 

8.                A．bring          B．build           C．pick D．bury

 

9.                A．recovering      B．showing        C．sharing   D．losing

 

10.               A．qualities        B．manners        C．records   D．attitudes

 

11.               A．barely         B．lovingly         C．suddenly  D．finally

 

12.               A．him           B．them          C．it D．us

 

13.               A．as for          B．apart from      C．except for D．instead of

 

14.               A．where         B．because        C．whether   D．which

 

15.               A．mentions       B．writes          C．pays  D．ends

 

16.               A．staring         B．listening        C．honoring  D．talking

 

17.               A．tight           B．quick          C．cold  D．necessary

 

18.               A．anything        B．nothing         C．everything D．something

 

19.               A．untouched      B．unsaid         C．unfinished D．unpacked

 

20.               A．hello          B．sorry          C．goodbye   D．thanks

 

 

   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.

56. 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.

57. 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.

58. 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.

59. 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.

One August afternoon, Richard Allen dropped off his last passenger, Mrs. Carey. Lifting two grocery bags, he followed her across the yard and stood on the step of her house. Glancing up, he saw a large wasp（黄蜂） nest under the roof. Allen had heard that wasps can become more likely to sting (sting, sting, stung蜇) in summer. He mentioned this to Mrs. Carey, who had opened the door.

“Oh, they don’t bother me,” she said lightly. “I go in and out all the time.”

Anxiously, Allen looked at the nest again—— to see the wasps flying straight at him. “Hurry!” he shouted to Mrs. Carey. “Get in!”

She stepped quickly inside. Allen ran for his mini-bus. Too late; they were upon him. Just as he jumped aboard, half a dozen red spots showed on his arm, and he felt more on his back and shoulders.

As he was driving down the road, Allen felt as if something was burning at the back of his neck, and the “fire” was spreading forward toward his face. And immediate anxiety took hold of him. Allen knew that stings could cause some persons to die. But he had been stung the previous summer and the after-effects soon passed. However, what he didn’t know what that the first sting had turned his body into a time bomb waiting for the next to set off an explosion.

Miles from the nearest medical assistance, Allen began to feel his tongue thick and heavy and his heartbeat louder. Most frightening, he felt his breathing more and more difficult. He reached for the radio mike（话筒）, trying to call the mini-bus center, but his words were hardly understandable. Signals were also poor that far out. He knew a rescue team was on 24-hour duty at the Amherst Fire Department’s north station. So his best chance was to make a run for it.

Rushing down the mountain, Allen tried not to panic, focusing his mind on each sharp turn. He was almost through the last of them when he felt sure he was going into shock（休克）. Just then he reached for the radio mike again.

“Call fire station,” he shouted, concentrating to form the words. “Emergency. Bee sting. Emergency. There in ten minutes.”

“Five-ten,” the center replied.

Hold on, Allen thought. Keep your eyes open. Breathe. Keep awake.

At last he reached the station. Two firemen ran out. Allen felt their hands grasp him before he hit the ground. You made it, he thought.

It is mentioned in the passage that wasps are more likely to attack when _______.

 A. there are huge noises          B. strangers are approaching

C. the air is filled with food smell  D. the hottest season comes around

Allen didn’t know that if stung by wasps again, he would _______.

A. have no after-effects   B. suffer from sharper pain

C. surely lose his life     D. become more sensitive

Allen failed at his first attempt to send his message to the mini-bus center because _______.

A. he was unable to speak clearly   B. his radio equipment was poor

C. he was in a state of shock       D. no one was on duty

Which would be the best title for the passage?

 A. Allen, A Helpless Driver  B. Wasps, Bloody Killers

C. A Race Against Death    D. War Against Wasps