Perhaps　the　only　test　score　that　I　remember　is　the　55　when　I　was　in　high　school.

    The　test　was　the　final　for　a　course.　I　remember　waiting　anxiously　as　my　teacher　Mr.　Right　passed　out　our　papers　one　by　one.　It　was　a　rather　difficult　test.　I　heard　my　classmates　groaning,　and　I　could　tel　by　the　groans　that　the　scores　weren’t　looking　good.

    Mr.　Right　put　my　paper　on　my　desk.　There　in　big　red　numbers,　circled　to　draw　attention,　was　my　score,　55!

    I　lowered　my　head,　and　covered　the　score　up　quickly.　A　55　is　not　something　that　you　wanted　your　classmates　to　see.“The　scores　were　not　very　good,　none　of　you　passed,”Mr.　Right　said.　“The　highest　score　in　the　class　was　a　55.”

    A　55.　That’s　me!

    Suddenly　my　sad　look　didn’t　look　so　bad.　I　had　the　highest　score.　I　felt　a　lot　better.

    I　walked　home　alone　that　day　with　the　low　but　high　score.　My　father　knew　that　I　had　a　big　test　that　day　and　asked　me　as　soon　as　I　got　home,　“How　did　you　do　in　your　test？”“I　made　a　55,”I　said.

    A　frown（皱眉）now　stood　on　my　father’s　face.　I　knew　I　had　to　explain　immediately.　“But　Dad,　I　had　the　highest　score　in　the　calss,”I　proudly　stated.　I　thought　that　explanation　would　make　a　difference.“You　failed!”my　father　replied.“But　it’s　the　highest!” I　insisted.“I　don’t　care　what　scores　others　had,　but　you　failed.　What　matters　is　what　you　do!”my　father　firmly　said.

    For　years,　my　father　was　always　that　way.　It　didn’t　matter　what　others　did,　it　only　mattered　what　I　did　and　that　I　did　it　excelently.

    We　often　don’t　understand　the　wisdom（智慧）of　good　parents　until　we　ourselves　stand　in　the　parents’shoes.　My　father’s　words　have　carried　me　throughout　life.

   1.　The　word　groaning　is　the　closest　in　meaning　to　_____.

    A.　singing　　　　B.　laughingC.　complaining　　　　D.　quarreling

    2.　In　class,　to　hide　my　score　from　my　classmates,　I　_____.

    A.　lowered　my　head　　　　B.　covered　my　score　up

    C.　walked　home　alone　D.　explained　immediately

    3.　A　frown　stood　on　my　father’s　face　because　he　thought　_____.

    A.　I　did　a　bad　job　in　the　test

    B.　I　gave　a　good　excuse

    C.　I　became　the　worst　student

    D.　I　stood　in　his　shoes

   4.　We　can　infer　from　the　passage　that　_____.

    A.　the　father　was　strict　with　his　child.

    B.　the　writer　was　always　poor　in　tests.

    C.　Mr.　Right　was　worried　about　the　writer

    D.　the　writer　was　always　happy　with　his　scores

   5.　Which　is　the　best　title　of　the　passage？

    A.　The　Final　Test　　　　B.　That’s　Me!

    C.　My　strict　Teacher　　　　D.　Scores,　Important？

 

Frank Smithson woke up and got up to turn off the alarm clock(闹钟). “Oh no!” he thought to himself. “Another day at that office; a boss (老板) who shouts at me all the time.”

As Frank went downstairs, his eyes fell on a large brown envelope (信封) by the door. He was very happy when he opened it and read the letter inside. “Bigwoods Football Pools (足球赌博公司) would like to congratulate you. You have won half a million pounds（英镑）.”

Frank suddenly came to life. The cigarette fell from his lips (唇) as he let out a shout that could be heard halfway down the street.

At 11:30 Frank arrived at work. “Please explain why you're so late,” his boss said. “Go and jump in the lake,” said Frank. “I've just come into a little money so this is good-bye. Find yourself someone else to shout at.”

That evening Frank was smoking a very expensive Havana cigar (雪茄) when a knock was heard on the door. He rushed to the door. Outside were two men, neatly dressed in grey suits. “Mr. Smithson,” one of them said, “we're from Bigwoods Pools. I'm afraid there's been a terrible mistake…”

1.What do we know about Frank from the passage?

A. He was a lazy man.      　　   B. He was a lucky person.

C. He had made a lot of money.      D. He got on well with his boss.

2.When he heard the knock at the door, Frank probably thought _________.

A. someone had come to say sorry to him

B. someone had come to give him the money

C. his friends had come to ask about the football pools

D. his friends had come to congratulate him on his luck

3.On hearing “…there's been a terrible mistake…”, Frank was most likely to be_____.

A. disappointed (失望的)　　 B. worried 　 C. grateful　　　D. curious