It was a winter morning, just a couple of weeks before Christmas 2005. While most people were warming up their cars, Trevor, my husband, had to get up early to ride his bike four kilometers away from home to work. On arrival, he parked his bike outside the back door as he usually does. After putting in 10 hours of labor, he returned to find his bike gone.

   The bike, a black Kona 18 speed, was our only transport. Trevor used it to get to work, putting in 60-hour weeks to support his young family. And the bike was also used to get groceries（食品杂货），saving us from having to walk long distances from where we live.

   I was so sad that someone would steal our bike that I wrote to the newspaper and told them our story. Shortly after that, several people in our area offered to help. One wonderful stranger even bought a bike, then called my husband to pick it up. Once again my husband had a way to get to and from his job. It really is an honor that a complete stranger would go out of their way for someone they have never met before.

   People say that a smile can be passed from one person to another, but acts of kindness from strangers are even more so. This experience has had a spreading effect in our lives because it strengthened our faith in humanity（人性）as a whole. And it has influenced（影响）us to be more mindful of ways we, too, can share with others. No matter how big or how small, an act of kindness shows that someone cares. And the results can be everlasting.

Why was the bike so important to the couple?

   A. The man’s job was bike racing.           B. It was their only possession.

   C. It was a nice Kona 18 speed.             D. They used it for work and daily life.

We can infer from the text that ____________.

   A. the couple worked 60 hours a week.       B. people were busy before Christmas

   C. the stranger brought over the bike         D. life was hard for the young family.

How did people get to know the couple’s problem?

   A. From radio broadcasts.                 B. From a newspaper.

   C. From TV news.                       D. From a stranger.

What do the couple learn from their experience?

   A. Strangers are usually of little help.        B. One should take care of their bike.

   C. News reports make people famous.       D. An act of kindness can mean a lot.

We’re always being sent contributions（稿件） for our popular laughter, The Best Medicine Section. Some of the jokes are obvious winners. Some of the jokes are ancient,  which are unfit for public consumption or just don’t make the grade（符合要求）. And then there are the rest: the jokes that get our editor scratching his chin and wondering, “Is this one good enough to print? ” Now you can help him choose. We’ve picked five jokes from the “Maybe” pile. Vote for the one you think is the best. The top-rated joke as of July 20, 2012 will be published in the magazine—and net its author $150.

(1)

A boy goes to a bookshop with his birthday money and chooses a book titled Advice to Young Mothers. “Why would you want this book? ” the assistant asks him.

“Because I collect moths（飞蛾）. ” the boy explains.

Derek Blew, Lane Cove, NSW

(2)

Father: “So you want to be my son-in-law? ”

Young man: “Actually I don’t, but I want to marry your daughter and I don’t see how I can avoid it. ”

Kimberley McEwan, southland, NZ

(3)

How many politicians does it take to change a light bulb（灯泡）?

None. They only promised they would do it.

Lisa Bluthal, Umina Beach, NSW

(4)

A couple of country boys driving a semitrailer（半拖车） down the highway come to a bridge with a sign saying: “Clearance 3. 1 metres. ” They stop, take out a tape measure and find the truck is 3. 5 metres high. “I don’t see any police around, ” one says. “Let’s go for it. ”

Loretta Fonseca, Otago, NZ

(5)

There are only two people who really know how to run this country. Sadly, one is cutting hair and the other is driving a taxi.

James White, Belmont, NSW

Click here for Poll Archives（投票档案）.

71. The writer’s purpose in writing the passage is to________ .

A. ask readers to judge which joke is the best

B. provide readers with some jokes for entertainment

C. collect contributions for a magazine

D. show us laughter is the best medicine

72. What do the underlined words (in the first paragraph) mean?

A. Jokes which are obvious winners.

B. Jokes which don’t make the grade.

C. Laughter and The Best Medicine Section.

D. Jokes that the editor isn’t sure of printing.

73. We can learn from the first joke that________ .

A. the book is very popular with readers

B. the assistant is very embarrassed

C. the boy misunderstands the title of the book

D. the boy wants to buy the book for his mother

74. What can we infer from the jokes?

A. The young man doesn’t want to marry the girl. (Joke 2)

B. Politicians seldom keep their promises. (Joke 3)

C. The boys often break traffic rules. (Joke 4)

D. People in that country live a happy life. (Joke 5)

75. The passage can most probably be found________ .

A. on the Internet                                                    B. in a newspaper

C. in a story book                                                    D. in a magazine

Do you know of anyone who uses the truth to deceive (欺骗)? When someone tells you something that is true, but leaves out important information that should be included, he can give you a false picture.
For example, some might say, “I just won a hundred dollars on the lottery (彩票). It was great. I took that dollar ticket back to the store and turned it in for one hundred dollars!”
This guy’s a winner, right? Maybe, maybe not. We then discover that he bought $200 worth of tickets, and only one was a winner. He’s really a big loser!
He didn’t say anything that was false, but he left out important information on purpose. That’s called a half-truth. Half-truths are not technically lies, but they are just as dishonest.
Some politicians often use this trick. Let’s say that during Governor Smith’s last term, her state lost one million jobs and gained three million jobs. Then she seeks another term. One of her opponents(对手) says, “During Governor Smith’s term, the state lost one million jobs!” that’s true. However, and honest statement would have been, “During Governor Smith’s term, the state had a net gain of two million jobs.”
Advertisers(广告商) will sometimes use half-truths. It’s against the law to make false statements so they try to mislead you with the truth. An advertisement might say, “Nine out of ten doctors advised their patients to take Yucky Pills to cure toothache.” It fails to mention that they only asked ten doctors and nine of them work for the Yucky Company.
This kind of deception happens too of often. It’s a sad fact of life: Lies are lies, and sometimes the truth can lie as well.
【小题1】How much did the lottery winner lose?

A．One hundred dollars.	B．Two hundred dollars.
C．Three hundred dollars.	D．Four hundred dollars.

【小题2】We may infer that the author believes people should _______.

A．buy lottery tickets

B．make use of half-truths

C．not take anything at face value

D．not trust the Yucky Company

【小题3】What do the underline words “net gain” in Paragraph 5 mean?

A．final increase

B．big advantage

C．large share

D．total saving

【小题4】What can we know from the example of the Yucky Pill advertisement?

A．False statements are easy to see through.

B．Half-truths are often used to mislead people.

C．Doctors like to act in advertisements.

D．Advertisements are based on facts.

New Zealand
What can you see?   Mountains, volcanoes, rivers, lakes, waterfalls, forests, beaches. Both islands are mountainous. In fact, only 30% of New Zealand is flat.
The Maoris
When the Maoris first arrived in New Zealand, they lived in villages and were excellent fishermen, hunters and farmers. About 50 years ago many Maoris started to live and work in the large cities and took jobs in government, industries, medicine and education. They are proud of their culture and are determined to keep many of the customs which are part of their way of life.
Who can you meet?  Most people live on North Island. Eighty-five percent of New Zealanders are “pakeha” (“white men”), which means their “great grandfathers” came from Europe. Ten percent are Maoris. The Maoris came to New Zealand from the Polynesian islands probably around the tenth century. The “pakeha” started to arrive in New Zealand from Europe about 200 years ago as farmers and traders.
Fact box: New Zealand
Position: South of the Equator ;  Nearest neighbor: Australia, 1600 km away.
Size: Two main islands — North Island and South Island: together they are 268.680 sq. km.
Population: 4 million
Capital: Wellington
Languages: English and Maori   
【小题1】Which of the following is a fact about New Zealand?

A．20% of the population being Maoris.

B．Four million white people.

C．About 1600 km south of the Equator.

D．Nearly 1/3 of the country being plains.

【小题2】The country’s population is mainly made up of  _________.

A．the white people and the Polynesians

B．the white people and the “pakeha”

C．the Maoris and the white people

D．the Maoris and the Polynesians

【小题3】When did the white people begin to live in New Zealand?

A．1000 years ago.	B．200 years ago.
C．85 years ago.	D．50 years ago.

【小题4】What do the Maoris value most in life?

A．Living in small villages.	B．Developing farming skills.
C．Keeping their own culture.	D．Taking up government jobs.

Long bus rides are like television shows. They have a beginning, a middle, and an end with commercials thrown in every three or four minutes. The commercials are unavoidable. They happen whether you want them or not. Every couple of minutes a billboard glides by outside the bus window. "Buy Super Clean Toothpaste.” Drink Good Wet Root Beer.” Fill up with Pacific Gas.” Only if you sleep, which is equal to turning the television set off, are you spared the unending cry of "You Need It! Buy It Now!"
The beginning of the ride is comfortable and somewhat exciting, even if you’ve traveled that way before. Usually some things have changed new houses, new buildings, sometimes even a new road. The bus driver has a style of driving and it’s fun to try to figure it out the first hour or so. If the driver is particularly reckless （鲁莽的） or daring, the ride can be as thrilling （惊心动魄的） as a suspense story. Will the driver pass the truck in time? Will the driver move into the right or the left hand lane? After a while, of course, the excitement dies down. Sleeping for a while helps pass the middle hours of the ride. Food always makes bus rides more interesting. But you’ve got to be careful of what kind of food you eat. Too much salty food can make you very thirsty between stops.
The end of the ride is somewhat like the beginning. You know it will soon be over and there’s a kind of expectation and excitement in that. The seat of course, has become harder as the hours have passed. By now you’ve sat with your legs crossed, with your hands in your lap, with your hands on the armrests even with your hands crossed behind your head. The end comes just at no more ways to sit.
【小题1】According to the passage, what do the passengers usually see when they are on a long bus trip?

A．Advertisements on the billboards.	B．Films on television.
C．Buses on the road.	D．Gas stations.

【小题2】What is the purpose of this passage?

A．To explain how bus trips and television shows differ.

B．To persuade you to take a long bus trip.

C．To give the writer’s opinion about long bus trips

D．To describe the billboards along the road.

【小题3】The writer of this passage would probably favor         .

A．bus drivers who aren’t reckless	B．driving alone
C．no billboards along the road	D．a television set on the bus

【小题4】The writer feels long bus rides are like TV shows because           .

A．they both have a beginning, a middle, and an end, with commercials in between

B．the commercials both on TV shows and on billboards along the road are fun

C．the drivers are always reckless on TV shows just as they are on buses

D．both traveling and watching TV are not exciting.

【小题5】The writer thinks that the end of the ride is somewhat like the beginning because both are .

A．comfortable

B．exciting

C．tiring

D．boring