When I was nine years old I lived in a small town. I found an ad for selling greeting cards in the back of a children’s magazine. I thought to myself I could do this. I begged my mother to let me send for the kit (配件). Two weeks later the kit arrived. The next three hours later, I returned home with no card and a pocket full of money shouting, “Mama, all the people couldn’t wait to buy my cards!” A salesperson was born.

When I was twelve years old, my father took me to see Zig Ziegler. I remember sitting in the dark hall listening to Mr. Ziegler raise everyone’s spirits up to ceiling. I left there feeling like I could do anything. When we got to the car, I turned to my father and said, “Dad, I want to make people feel like that.” My father asked me what I meant. “I want to be a motivational speaker just like Mr. Ziegler,” I replied. A dream was born.

Recently, I began pursuing my dream of motivating（激励）others. I realized that everything I had achieved — a good education, the successful sales career, speaking appointments, training and managing for a major fortune 100 company as a senior manager— had prepared me for this moment. I told my boss I would leave the company though I might not reach such a height(高度) in career. He told me to move on and he believed I would succeed.

Having made that decision, I was immediately tested. One week after I quit(辞掉) my job, my husband was laid off from his job. We had recently bought a new home and needed both incomes to make the monthly mortgage (抵押) payment and now we were done to no income. I even planned to turn back to my former company, knowing they wanted me to stay but I was sure that if I went back, I would never leave. I decided I still wanted to move forward instead of ending up with a mouth full of “if onlys” later on. A motivational speaker was born.

When I held fast to my dream, even during the tough times, the miracles（奇迹） really began to happen. In a short time period my husband found a better job. We didn’t miss a mortgage payment. And I was able to book several speaking appointments with new clients (客户). I discovered the incredible power of dreams. I loved my old job, my workmates and the company I left, but it was time to get on with my dream. To celebrate my success I had a local artist paint my new office as a garden. At the top of one wall she marked, “The world always makes way for the dreamer.”

53．Why was the kit sent for?

A. Selling greeting cards.                                   B. Collecting greeting cards.

C. Buying greeting cards.                                  D. Sending greeting cards.

54．When did the author decide to become a motivational speaker?

A. After buying a new home by mortgage.

B. After leaving her secure position in the company.

C. After finding a job in a major fortune 100 company.

D. After listening to Mr. Ziegler’s inspiring speech.

55．Which of the following statements is NOT TRUE?

A. She was once an excellent manager.

B. She left her post at the height of her career.

C. She was not sure whether the former company could accept her.

D. She didn’t miss paying the monthly mortgage payment.

56．What does the underlined sentence mean in the last paragraph?

A. Carry on with your dreams and you will be successful.

B. You will succeed if you have dreams.

C. The world is full of people with dreams.

D. Everyone will realize their dream in the world.

阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从36-55各题所给的四个选项（A，B，C和D）中，选出最佳选项。

The party began shortly after Mr. Wood, who lived in the flat below, sighed to himself as he heard excited voices and the noisy music. Luckily he had 36 some work home from the office, 　37　 he kept himself busy for a couple of hours, thus managing to pay no attention to the noise 　38 . But by eleven o’clock he felt 39 and was ready to go to bed, though from his earlier experience he knew it was 40 trying to get to sleep. He undressed and lay for a while on the bed, trying to read, but he 41 himself reading the same page over and over again. He then turned off the light and 42 his head in the pillow. But 43 he could not shut 44 the noise, finally, after 45 seemed hours, his 46 was gone.

He jumped out of bed, 47 some clothing, marched 48 up the stairs, and walked into his neighbor’s flat. The owner of the flat, who 49 him in his dressing gown, came 50 the room and,51 Mr. Wood could say anything, cried, “My dear fellow, come and 52. I know our parties 53 you. I meant to send you 54” Mr. Wood’s anger disappeared then and there. He said, “I’d better go and get 55 . Minutes later, he returned, properly dressed, only to find that the party was nearly over.

36．A. taken 　　　　　　　　　 B. carried 　 　　 C. brought　 　　　　　 　D. fetched

37．A. with which　　　　　　　 B. from which　 C. where　　 　　　 　D. when

38．A. outside　　　　 　　 B. overhead 　 　　 C. downstairs　 　　　 　D. nearby

39．A. bad　　　　　 　　 B. tired　　　　 C. sick　　　 　　　　　 　D. hopeless

40．A. useless　　　　 　　 B. necessary　 　 C. possible　　 　　　D. helpful

41．A. had　　　　　 　　 B. found　　　 C. caught　　　 　　　D. felt

42．A. buried　　　　 　　 B. rested　　　 　 C. shook　　 　　 　D. turned

43．A. till then　　　 　　　 B. worse still　 　 C. strange enough 　　　 D. even so

44．A. away　　　　 　　　 B. off　　　　　 C. down　　　 　　　D. up

45．A. it　　　 　　 　　　 B. what　 　 　　 C. that　 　　　 　　　D. which

46．A. sleep　　 　　　　　 B. strength　　 　 C. patience　 　　　　　　 　D. anger

47．A. pulled on　　 　　　　 B. dressed up　　 C. selected　 　　　　　　 　D. wore

48．A. sadly　　 　　　　　 B. proudly　 　　 C. quietly　 　 　　 　D. firmly

49．A. made fun of　 　　　 B. stared at　　 　 C. was angry with 　 D. caught sight of

50．A. across　　　 　　　 B. around　　 　 C. towards　　　 　　 D. by

51．A. as　　　　 　　　　 B. before　　 　　 C. though　　　　 　　D. until

52．A. meet as　　 　　　　 B. sit here　　　 C. join us　　　 　　 　D. scold me

53．A. should bother　 　　 B. would bother 　 C. need bother　 　　 　D. shall bother

54．A. a notice　　 　　　 B. a message　　 C. an invitation　 　　 　D. an apology

55．A. washed　　 　 　　　 B. changed　　　 　　　 C. dressed　　 　 　　 　D. prepared

The world always makes way for the dreamer．

When I was twelve years old, my father took me to see Zig Zigler． I remember sitting in that dark hall listening to Mr. Zigler  1   everyone’s spirits up to the ceiling, I  2   there feeling like I could do anything． When we got to the car, I turned to my father and said, “Dad, I want to  3   people feel like that．” My father asked me  4   I meant． “I want to be a motivational （激励人的）speaker just like Mr. Zigler,”  I replied．A 5   was born．

Recently, I began seeking my dream of motivating others． 6   a four-year relationship with Fortune 100 Company   7  as a sales-trainer and ending as a regional sales manager, I left the company at the height of my  8 ．Many people were  9  that I would leave after earning a six-figure income． And they asked  10   I would risk everything for a dream．

I made my  11   to start my own company and leave my secure（无忧虑的）position after  12  a regional sales meeting．The vice-president of our company delivered a  13   that changed my life． He asked us, “If a god would offer you three wishes, what would they be?” After giving us a 14   to write down the three wishes, he then asked us, “Why do you need a   15  ?” I would never forget the power I felt at that moment．I realized that  16   I had accomplished in the past had prepared me for this moment．I was ready and didn’t need a god’s help to become a motivational speaker．A motivational speaker was  17  ．

Having made that decision, I was immediately  18  ．One week after I gave notice, my husband was laid off from his job, and now we had no  19  ．But I held fast to my dream．The wonder really began to happen． In a short time my husband found a better job．And I was able to book several   20  engagements with new customers．I discovered the incredible power of dreams．

1．A．rise                     B．blow                  C．put                      D．raise

2．A．left                     B．came                  C．arrived                 D．slipped

3．A．get                      B．hope                  C．make                   D．cheer

4．A．that                     B．what                  C．which                  D．if

5．A．dream                 B．idea                    C．girl                      D．speaker

6．A．After                   B．Before                C．Because               D．While

7．A．beginning            B．working             C．acting                  D．regarding

8．A．life                      B．love                   C．income                 D．career

9．A．disappointed        B．moved                C．surprised              D．delighted

10．A．when                B．why                   C．if                         D．how

11．A．plan                   B．promise              C．decision               D．mind

12．A．attending           B．joining                C．entering                D．holding

13．A．newspaper         B．book                  C．report                  D．speech

14．A．day                   B．second               C．week                   D．moment

15．A．help                  B．job                     C．god                      D．company

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

17．A．alive                  B．dead                   C．missing                D．born

18．A．examined           B．searched             C．checked               D．tested

19．A．help                  B．harm                  C．income                 D．money

20．A．selling               B．speaking             C．writing                 D．listening