Dear Ralph,

I’m a girl in Grade Two in senior middle school. In junior middle school I did very well in my studies. But when I entered senior middle school I began to __41__ the bitterness (苦涩) of failure.

A girl who was not as good as me in __42__ middle school surpassed (超过) me. My mother often scolds me. I can’t __43__ her, so when I return home I don’t want to talk to her. When I do a good job, she __44__ says, “Don’t be so __45__. Think of XXX, she did better than you.” Am I proud? __46__. I just want to give __47__ confidence. When I do something bad, she says, “What are you doing? Think of XXX, she is always better than you.” I had a(an) __48__talk with her. But she just said __49__, “When you grow up, you will know that I have done good for you.”

I can’t __50__ with her. I don’t want to go with her. What should I do?

Cinderella

Cinderella,

First analyze (分析) by yourself __51__ you have fallen behind. Is there something wrong with you, __52__ is the girl who surpassed you an outstanding person who is always at the __53__. And does it matter? Can you be number two and __54__ do well in exams and get into a good university?

To communicate, ask your __55__ about her own life. Did someone surpass her? If she regrets any experiences, she may hope you will realize her own __56__. This wish is common among __57__.

__58___, don’t blame that she should seek success. If she scolds but cannot help, she clearly knows study is important but does not know how to study__59__.

Do __60__ you think is best.

Sean and Danielle were leaving the music store when they heard the crash. "What do you suppose that was?" asked Sean.
"I don't know for sure," said Danielle, "but it sure sounded bad. It's right over there. Let's go and look."
Sean and Danielle knew they would see an accident. But they didn't know what to expect. There in the middle of the street was a bicycle that had been hit by a car. The bicycle rider was sitting in the street, shaking his head.
"Look at that," said Sean, "he's not even wearing a helmet. He is one lucky guy".
"No kidding," Danielle replied. "Look at the driver of the car. She's just as lucky. She's not wearing a seat belt.
Sean and Danielle are right. The bicycle rider is very lucky, he was not hurt. Riding a bicycle is a lot of fun, but it can also be very dangerous. You have to pay attention all the time to what you're doing. You also have to follow safety rules.
When you ride a bicycle, remember that you share the road with cars and trucks. These vehicles are a lot bigger than you are. So, always wear a helmet when riding your bicycle. Always means "every time" even if you are just riding around the block.
Follow the same rules as car and truck drivers. Bicycle riders also have some special rules. Here are some special rules you should follow:
● Do not ride your bicycle on the sidewalk. By not riding on the sidewalk, you won't run into a pedestrian.
● Ride on bike paths or trails when they are available.
● Always ride in the same direction as traffic.
● Always ride on the right-hand side of the road.
● When you ride with a friend, do not ride next to each other. Ride in single field, one behind the other.
● Obey all traffic signals and signs. Stop at all stop signs.
● Walk your bicycle across busy crossings.
● Be sure to use hand signals when you turn and stop.
Follow these safety rules when riding a bicycle at night.
● Have a headlight that works.
● Have these reflectors on your bicycle: yellow or white in front, and red ones on the pedals and back.
● Wear light-colored clothing so drivers can see you.
You should always keep your bicycle in good working order. Make sure the brakes work properly and that your tires have enough air. If you find anything wrong with your bike, fix it or have it fixed before you ride it again.
【小题1】How did Sean and Danielle know that they would see an accident?

I finished my last evening shift of the week and could hardly wait to get home. I took off my nursing shoes, relaxed and then said goodnight to the rest of the girls and headed out of the door.

It was so cold and I could see the ice crystals in the air. As I approached my car, I saw one of my coworkers standing by the bus stop. I thought it would only take a couple of extra minutes to give her a ride home, and besides, it was too cold to be standing outside on the coldest night in January.

We chatted as I drove and before we knew it, we arrived at her house. As she headed up the steps to her door she turned around. “Do you know how to get to your house from here?” “How hard can it be? I’ll just backtrack the way I came.”

I started driving. Nothing looked familiar, but at first that didn’t bother me since I’d never been to this neighborhood before. I kept driving, and soon I sensed that something was wrong. I recognized nothing, not the neighborhoods, not even the street names. My husband would be worried about me. I looked down at my watch. It was now 2:30. I’d left work at 11:30 pm.

I stopped my car. I thought I’d better take stock of my situation. My gas gauge (汽油量表) was slowly going down. In total defeat I put my head down on the steering wheel and asked for help. I lifted my head. I saw a shadow down the road in front of me. It was a car. What was a car doing in the middle of nowhere at 2:30 in the morning?

Hesitantly, I got out of my car and knocked on the window of the other car. An elderly man slowly rolled his window down.

I said, “I’m lost and don’t know how to get back into town.”

In silence, he started driving. I drove behind him.

Finally I recognized a familiar street. As I turned to head home, I lost sight of my guiding angel. When I pulled into my driveway the warning light for my gas tank turned on.

66. The first paragraph tells us that the writer _______.

A. lived near her workplace                  

B. used to go home by bus

C. worked in a woman’s hospital          

D. had been working at night for a week

67. Why did the writer stop her car?          

A. To consider and judge the situation.                 B. To check whether there was gas.

C. To prevent the car breaking down.                  D. To turn to somebody for help.

68. How did the old man help the writer?

A. He told her the way to the town.                      B. He led her by driving in front.

C. He called the police to help her.                       D. He sent her to her home with his car.

69. When the writer got home, _______.

A. she thanked the old man very much

B. her husband was waiting for her anxiously

C. the oil in her car was just going to run out

D. she was totally frozen on the cold night

70. What might be the suitable title for the passage?

A. Keep up and you will succeed at last.

B. Meeting a friendly old man in trouble.

C. Giving a ride to my coworker at night.

D. Losing my way on a cold winter night.