A few years ago, I had the opportunity to play the character of Ronald McDonald for the McDonald's Corporation.
One day each month，we visited hospitals bringing a little happiness to the children there. But there were two rules placed on me during a visit. First, I could not go anywhere in the hospital  without permission. And second, I could not physically touch anyone within the hospital. They did not want me to carry germs(细菌)from one patient to another. Breaking either of these rules, I was told, I could lose my job. One day, as I was heading down a hallway and on my way home, I heard a little voice coming through a half­opened door，“Ronald，Ronald.”
I stepped in and saw a boy，about five years old, lying in his dad's arms, Mom with a nurse on the other side. I knew by the feeling in the room that the situation was grave. I asked his name. He told me it was Billy and that I did a few simple magic tricks for him. As I stepped back to say good­bye, he asked me “Ronald, would you hold me？”
At such a simple request, my heart was screaming, “Yes！”But my mind was screaming louder. “No！You are going to lose your job！”
“Hold me” was such a simple request, and yet I searched for any reasonable excuses that allowed me to leave, but none. It took me a moment to realize that in this situation, losing my job may not be the disaster I feared. Then, I picked up this little boy. He was so weak and so scared. We laughed and cried for 45 minutes. With tears in my eyes, I left them. Less than 48 hours later, I received a phone call from Billy's mom that Billy had passed away. She and her husband simply wanted to thank me for making a difference in their little boy's life.
Billy's mom told me shortly after I left the room. Billy looked at her and said, “Momma, I don't care any more if I see Santa this year because I was held by Ronald McDonald.”
For the record, McDonald's Corporation did find it out, but, given the situation，permitted me to go on with my job. I continued as Ronald for another year before leaving the corporation to share the story of Billy and how important it is to take risks.
【小题1】The underlined word “grave” in Paragraph 3 means “________”.

D

During the twentieth century there has been a great change in the lives of women. A woman marrying at the end of the nineteenth century would probably have seven or eight children, of whom four or five lived till they were five years old and up. By the time the youngest was fifteen, the mother would have been in her early fifties and would expect to live a further twenty years, during which chance and health made it unusual for her to get paid work. Today women marry younger and have fewer children. Usually a woman’s youngest child will be fifteen when she is forty-five and can be expected to live another thirty-five years and is likely to take paid work until sixty.

This important change in women’s life has only recently begun to have its full effect on women economic (经济的) position. Even a few years ago most girls left school and took a full-time job. However, when they married their school-leaving age is sixteen. Many girls stay at school after that age, and though women marry younger, more married women stay at work at least until shortly before their first child is born. Very many more afterwards return to fuller part-time work. Such changes have led to a new relationship in marriage (婚姻), with the husband accepting a greater share of the duties and satisfactions of family life.

71.We are told that in a family about 1900________.

A.few children died before they were five

B.seven or eight children lived to be more than five

C.the youngest child would be fifteen

D.four or five children died when they were five

72.One reason why the woman of today may take a job is that she______.

A.is younger when her children are old enough to look after themselves

B.does not like children herself

C.needn’t worry about food for her children

D.can be free from family duties when she reaches sixty

73.Many girls are now likely to_______.

A.give up their jobs for good after they are married

B.leave school as soon as they can

C.marry so that they can get a job

D.continue working until they are going to have a baby

74.According to the passage, it is now quite usual for women to _______.

A.stay at home after leaving school

B.marry men younger than themselves

C.start working again in life

D.marry while still at school

75.Now a husband probably_________.

A.plays a greater part in looking after children

B.helps his wife by doing much of the housework

C.feels dissatisfied with his part in the family

D.takes a part-time job so that he can help in the home

Do you ever feel like no one understands you? It may seem like everyone else has lots of friends, and is getting invited to fun parties and outings while you are at home by yourself. But in fact, you’re not the only one who feels like this. In today’s    41   , with so many people all crowded together in such big cities, lots of people feel alone, even when there are many people    42    them.

But being alone doesn’t    43    that you have to be lonely. Whenever I’m reading a book, exercising, or doing other things that I love, I don’t feel lonely at all. I    44    feel quite happy when I’m busy. But when I focus on all of the things that I’m lacking, I get lonely and feel unhappy. Everyone feels lonely at one point or another ― even the happiest people can feel lonely sometimes.

That you may feel lonely doesn’t mean it has to be a painful    45   . You can actually enjoy your time   46   by doing things that make you happy ― give some   47   attention to yourself and to your hobbies. Reading a good book, going on a walk, or keeping a diary can give you some time to think about yourself and your feelings. Sometimes, it’s even more fun to do things on your own without anyone else to think about.

Since November 11th is “Bachelor’s Day”（单身汉节）why not    48    your independence and treat yourself to something special. Enjoy the quiet time by yourself. If your friends are feeling lonely, make sure that you    49    them by being there during hard times. And remember, one doesn’t have to be the loneliest number!

D

During the twentieth century there has been a great change in the lives of women. A woman marrying at the end of the nineteenth century would probably have seven or eight children, of whom four or five lived till they were five years old and up. By the time the youngest was fifteen, the mother would have been in her early fifties and would expect to live a further twenty years, during which chance and health made it unusual for her to get paid work. Today women marry younger and have fewer children. Usually a woman’s youngest child will be fifteen when she is forty-five and can be expected to live another thirty-five years and is likely to take paid work until sixty.

This important change in women’s life has only recently begun to have its full effect on women economic (经济的) position. Even a few years ago most girls left school and took a full-time job. However, when they married their school-leaving age is sixteen. Many girls stay at school after that age, and though women marry younger, more married women stay at work at least until shortly before their first child is born. Very many more afterwards return to fuller part-time work. Such changes have led to a new relationship in marriage (婚姻), with the husband accepting a greater share of the duties and satisfactions of family life.

71.We are told that in a family about 1900________.

A.few children died before they were five

B.seven or eight children lived to be more than five

C.the youngest child would be fifteen

D.four or five children died when they were five

72.One reason why the woman of today may take a job is that she______.

A.is younger when her children are old enough to look after themselves

B.does not like children herself

C.needn’t worry about food for her children

D.can be free from family duties when she reaches sixty

73.Many girls are now likely to_______.

A.give up their jobs for good after they are married

B.leave school as soon as they can

C.marry so that they can get a job

D.continue working until they are going to have a baby

74.According to the passage, it is now quite usual for women to _______.

A.stay at home after leaving school

B.marry men younger than themselves

C.start working again in life

D.marry while still at school

75.Now a husband probably_________.

A.plays a greater part in looking after children

B.helps his wife by doing much of the housework

C.feels dissatisfied with his part in the family

D.takes a part-time job so that he can help in the home

　　Michael Jackson has been on the road of performing since he was five years old. For anyone who wants to know,the road to fame and fortune is a long,hard way to travel.

　　Michael remembers those early years when he was young. “My father was a machine oporator. ”he explained, “and he worked at a steel plant. My mother worked as Sears,a big department store. But they were both musicians. ”

　　Mr. Jackson realized that his sons had a lot of talent,and he knew he could train them to become fine musicians. In those days there were plenty of music groups and some of them were very good. He knew if his sons were to stand out,they would have to be the best.

　　Ptactice makes perfect. And the Jackson boys practised!Gradually the group took shape. When the Jacksons took their first professional job,their total pay was only five dollars!They kept on working. They played at parties. They entered bigger contests(比赛). They worked at clubs. Then word of this group began to get around. All of a sudden,the Jackson Five became popular in the country；their first album(歌曲集)sold a million copies!Michael,11 years old then,was the star. It just didn’t seem possible that so much talent could come from such a young performer.

　　Then Michael got a chance to do some solo songs. For the following years Michael has always been on the top. One million records of his was sold in New Zealand,which has only a total population of three million!

　　When Michael was eighteen,he entered another field of his career：acting. “I plan to stair in movies. ”he told his friends, “but of course,my first love is music. ”

　　Michael wrote a lot of his own songs. “Songs came about in the strangest ways,”he said, “I’ll just wake up from sleeping and there is a whole song coming into my head. And then I put it down on the paper. ”Whatever he is doing,it works!

　　Still,with all his success,Michael manages to keep his head calm. “I just do a different job from other people,”he said, “but it doesn’t make me think I’m better than other people. ”

　　To be quite honest,his fans just love to hear and watch him !

　　1．Michael Jackson began performing with________.

　　A．his father

　　B．his mother

　　C．his parents

　　D．his brothers

　　2．Mr. Jackson knew only when his sons were the best musicians could they________.

　　A．make a lot of money

　　C．be famous

　　D．support themselves

　　3．Which of the following is not mentioned in this passage?

　　A．When the group began to go round the world.

　　B．The songs sung by this group were very popular.

　　C．The Jacksons shocked the country.

　　D．People could hardly believe that young Michael was so talented.

　　4．Michacl Jackson wants to be________.

　　A．a solo singer and musician rather than a film star and actor

　　B．not only a film star and actor but a solo singer and musician

　　C．a solo singer as well as a musician

　　D．a film star as well as an actor

　　5．Michael means that he does something different from others,________.

　　A．so he is different from others

　　B．so he is better than others

　　C．still he is no better than others

　　D．he is as well as others