A boy was walking home from school when he saw a large, tempting(诱人的) apple on one of the branches of an apple tree hanging out over a tall fence. The boy wasn’t much of a fruit-eater,  26  a bar of chocolate if given the choice,     27  , as they say, the forbidden fruit can be tempting. Seeing the apple, the boy wanted it. The more he looked at it, the    28   he felt and the more he wanted that apple.

He stood on tiptoe(脚尖), ___29  as high as he could , but even at his tallest  30___ he was unable to touch it. He began to  31  up and down, as high as he could, at the  32 of each jump stretching his arms to get the apple. Still it remained out of  33 .

Not giving up, he thought, if only he had something to  34 on. His school bag wouldn’t give enough height and he didn’t want to  35  the things inside, like his lunch box, pencil case, and Gameboy. Looking 36 , he hoped he might find an old box, a rock, or,   37 luck, even a ladder, but it was a tidy neighborhood and there was nothing he could use.

He had tried everything he could think to do.   38  seeing any other choices, he gave up and started to walk   39 . At first he felt angry and disappointed thinking about how hungry he had become from his 40 , and how he really wanted that apple. The more he  41 like this, the more unhappy he became.

42   , the boy of our story was a pretty smart guy, even if he couldn’t always get what he wanted. He started to say to himself, “This isn’t   43    . I don’t have the apple and I’m feeling miserable as well. There’s  44  more I can do to get the apple—that is unchangeable—but we are supposed to be able to  45 our feelings. If that’s the case, what can I do to feel better?

1.                A．preferring      B．offering         C．receiving D．allowing

 

2.                A．so             B．then           C．but  D．or

 

3.                A．sadder         B．angrier         C．hungrier  D．tastier

 

4.                A．expanding      B．stretching       C．swinging  D．pulling

 

5.                A．strength        B．length          C．range    D．height

 

6.                A．jump           B．look           C．walk D．glance

 

7.                A．tip            B．stage           C．top  D．level

 

8.                A．hope          B．hand           C．sight D．reach

 

9.                A．put            B．stand           C．get  D．hold

 

10.               A．break          B．shake          C．take  D．strike

 

11.               A．up            B．forward        C．down D．around

 

12.               A．for            B．with           C．on   D．of

 

13.               A．After          B．Through        C．Without   D．Upon

 

14.               A．back           B．away           C．up   D．down

 

15.               A．wishes         B．beliefs         C．efforts    D．goals

 

16.               A．thought        B．imagined       C．tried  D．claimed

 

17.               A．Therefore      B．However       C．Moreover D．Otherwise

 

18.               A．skilful          B．cheerful        C．harmful   D．helpful

 

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

 

20.               A．change         B．express        C．forget D．describe

 

 

Teens don’t understand the big fuss(小题大做).As the first generation to grow up in a wired world,they hardly know a time when computers weren’t around,and they eagerly catch the chance to spend hours online,chatting with friends.So what?

But researchers nationwide are increasingly worried that teens are becoming isolated(孤寂),less skillful at person-to-person relationships,and perhaps numb(麻木) to the cheatings that are so much a part of the e-mail world.“And a teen’s sense of self and values may be changed in a world where personal connections can be limitless,”said Sherry Turkle.

Another researcher,Robert Kraut,said he’s worried about the “opportunity costs”(机会成本) of so much online time for youths.He found that teens who used computers,even just a few hours a week,showed increased signs of loneliness and social isolation.“Chatting online may be better than watching television,but it’s worse than hanging out(闲逛) with real friends,”he said.

Today’s teens,however,don’t see anything strange in the fact that the computer takes up a central place in their social lives.“School is busy and full of pressure.There’s almost no time to just hang out,”said Parker Rice,17.“Talking online is just catch-up time.”

Teens say they feel good about what they say online or taking the time to think about a reply.Some teens admit that asking someone for a date,or breaking up,can be easier in message form,though they don’t want to do so.But they insist there’s no harm.

The researchers argue that ______.

A.teens may develop a different sense of values

B.nothing is wrong with teens’ chatting online

C.teens can manage their social connections

D.spending hours online does much good to teens

Teens think that talking online can help them ______.

A.use computers properly

B.improve their school work

C.develop an interest in social skills

D.reduce their mental pressures

The text mainly deals with ______.

A.teens’ pleasant online experience

B.teens’ computer skills and school work

C.the effects of the computer world on teens

D.different opinions on teens’ chatting online

The purpose of the text is to ______.

A.describe computer research results

B.draw attention to teens’ computer habits

C.suggest ways to deal with problem teens

D.discuss problems teens have at school

Mr. and Mrs. Wu were fed up with their neighbor. He was always borrowing things from them.

“It’s not right.” Mr. Wu said to his wife one evening. “At some time or another that man has borrowed nearly everything we have. Almost every day he comes over to borrow something.”

“You are quite right,” his wife replied, “and most of the things he’s never returned.”

“What I want to know,” her husband said, “is why he can’t buy the things he needs like everyone else.”

“Because people like us are foolish enough to lend him what he needs.” she replied. “As long as we are willing to lend, he’ll keep on borrowing.”

“Then we’ll never lend him anything again.” Mr. Wu said. “The next time he asks to borrow something, I’ll say no.”

“We must have a good reason for saying no,” his wire said, “and we must always try to be polite to him. We don’t want to make an enemy of the man.”

It was not long before their decision not to lend their neighbor anything ever again was put to the test.

The next morning there was a knock on the door.

Mr. Wu went to answer it.

Their neighbor was standing there. Mr. Wu knew he was going to ask to borrow something, and was ready to refuse him politely.

“Good morning,” their neighbor said, “I’m sorry to trouble you, but I wonder if I could borrow your garden scissors.”

“I’m sorry,” Mr. Wu said, “but I’m afraid my wife and I will be using them today. We’ll be spending all day working in the garden.”

“Oh, ! see.” the neighbor said, “In that case, may I borrow your golf clubs? You won’t be needing them if you are working in the garden all day, will you?”

1.What did the neighbor do with most of the things he had borrowed?

A．He hid them.

B．He never returned them.

C．He lent them to others.

D．He broke them.

2.Mr. and Mrs. Wu’s decision to treat their neighbor was

A．not to lend anything more

B．to be impolite to him in order to show their dislike

C．to give him anything he would ask

D．to keep on lending

3.When did the neighbor want to borrow again?

A．The next day.

B．A week later.

C．The morning after the following month.

D．A few days later.

4.How did the neighbor manage to get what he really wanted?

A．He first asked for something else.

B．He asked for it earnestly (诚挚地).

C．He worked for them.

D．He spoke highly of Mr. Wu.

 

The drug store was closing for the night and Alfred Higgins was about to go home when his new boss approached him.

    “Empty your pockets please, Alfred,” Sam Carr demanded in a firm voice.

Alfred pretended to be shocked but he knew he’d been caught. From his coat he withdrew a make-up kit, a lipstick and two tubes of toothpaste.

    “I’m disappointed in you, Alfred!” said the little gray-haired man.

    “Sorry, sir. Please forgive me. It’s the first time I’ve ever done such a thing,” Alfred lied, hoping to gain the old man’s sympathy.

Mr Carr’s brow furrowed as he reached for the phone, “Do you take me for a fool? Let’s see what the police have to say. But first I’ll call your mother and let her know her son is heading to jail.”

“Do whatever you want,” Alfred shot back, trying to sound big. But deep down he felt like a child. He imagined his mother rushing in, eyes burning with anger, maybe in tears. Yet he wanted her to come quickly before Mr. Carr called the police.

Mr. Carr was surprised when Mrs Higgins finally arrived. She was very calm, quiet and friendly.   “Is Alfred in trouble?” she asked.

“He’s been stealing from the store,” the old man coolly replied.

Mrs. Higgins put out her hand and touched Mr. Carr’s arm with great gentleness as if she knew just how he felt. She spoke as if she did not want to cause him any more trouble. “What do you want to do, Mr. Carr?”

The woman’s calm and gentle manner disarmed the once-angry store-owner. “I was going to get a cop. But I don’t want to be cruel. Tell your son not to come back here again, and I’ll let it go.” Then he warmly shook Mrs. Higgins’s hand.

Mrs. Higgins thanked the old man for his kindness, then mother and son left. They walked along the street in silence. When they arrived home his mother simply said, “Go to bed, you fool.”

In his bedroom, Alfred heard his mother in the kitchen. He felt no shame, only pride in his mother’s actions. “She was smooth!” he thought. He went to the kitchen to tell her how great she was, but was shocked by what he saw.

His mother’s face looked frightened, broken. Not the cool, bright face he saw earlier. Her lips moved nervously. She looked very old. There were tears in her eyes.

This picture of his mother made him want to cry. He felt his youth ending. He saw all the troubles he brought her and the deep lines of worry in her grey face. It seemed to him that this was the first time he had ever really seen his mother.

1.Which of the following is true according to the passage?

   A．Alfred tried to sound big to hide his fear.

   B．It was the first time Alfred had stolen anything.

   C．Mr. Carr set a trap to catch Alfred stealing.

   D．Mr. Carr had planned to forgive Alfred from the beginning.

2.What does the underlined word “disarmed” probably mean?

   A．annoyed                               B．convinced

   C．got over                              D．made less angry

3.What impressed Alfred most about his mother at the drugstore was ______．

    A．how angry she was                    B．how effectively she handled Mr．Carr

    C．that she didn't cry                       D．that she was able to save him

4.What was the mother's attitude toward Alfred?

    A．She was very strict with him．                           B．She was supportive of him．

    C．She felt disappointed with him．                         D．She was afraid of him．

5.From the last paragraph, we know that Alfred ______．

    A．was no longer a youth                   B．felt proud of his mother

    C．felt guilty and regretful for his deed           D．wanted his mother to be happy