“Good night, Yammine.”

“Good night, Chief，” I reply.

The cell door __36__ and I hear Chief's keys clinking as other doors clang shut further down the row. I step into my little cell and sit down. I glance up at the window, covered in mesh(铁网)，and think to myself, “This isn't a life, it's just a(n) __37__．”

Being __38__ makes me feel as though I'm being buried alive. I am a puppet(木偶) with people __39__ strings so that I eat, sleep and wake when they want me to.

I lie on my bed as night __40__ and think the same thoughts __41__. I think about how it all went so wrong, and imagine how I will __42__ for all the time I've lost.

Every day I live the same routine and nothing changes except the people. Prisoners depart for other prisons, or get __43__. Others __44__ from different prisons, or fresh from custody. It's a __45__ revolving(旋转) door.

When I committed my __46__， I was a lost young boy, but now I am __47__. Walking around the yard, I would notice my fellow prisoners reading books and writing letters to friends and family, which upset me as my __48__ at school was limited.

I longed for the day when I'd be able to sit in the sun, enjoying a cup of coffee and reading a newspaper or book __49__ my choice. I also longed to write letters to my friends and family, sharing my thoughts and feelings.

I decided not to waste my time inside and, __50__， make the most of all the resources available to me. I started to learn and was __51__ to realize my dream.

Now, after five years' persistence, heartache and hard work, I have __52__ my goal. Having __53__ a course as a reading adviser, I can now help others to read and write. And I have even started a creative writing workshop at Junee Correctional Centre. Learning to read and write at a highter level has given me the inner strength to present myself in a more __54__ manner.

And the day I've dreamed about has come true: I now enjoy my cup of coffee with a book in my other hand. Learning to read and write has changed my life and this article is my first piece of “proper” writing, and it won't be my __55__．

1.A. opens　　　　　B. closes　　　　　　　C. breaks　　　　D. sticks

2.A. existence  B. appearance  C. offence  D. holiday

3.A. at school  B. at home  C. in hospital  D. in prison

4.A. pulling  B. shaking  C. winding  D. casting

5.A. becomes  B. drops  C. feels  D. falls

6.A. once and for all  B. over and over again  C. once again  D. for good

7.A. do up  B. make up  C. fix up  D. mend up

8.A. revealed  B. sentenced  C. punished  D. released

9.A. reach  B. get  C. arrive  D. go

10.A. continually  B. occasionally  C. accidentally  D. rarely

11.A. mistake  B. crime  C. error  D. fault

12.A. caught  B. home  C. found  D. trapped

13.A. attendance  B. absence  C. allowance  D. assistance

14.A. in  B. of  C. over  D. by

15.A. however  B. instead  C. thus  D. nevertheless

16.A. devoted  B. dedicated  C. determined  D. decided

17.A. gained  B. recognized  C. arrived  D. achieved

18.A. attended  B. completed  C. started  D. organized

19.A. positive  B. negative  C. sensitive  D. passive

20.A. best  B. worst  C. latest  D. last

 

The True Story of Treasure Island

It was always thought that Treasure Island was the product of Robert Louis Stevenson’s imagination. ___1___，recent research has found the true story of this exciting work.

Stevenson, a Scotsman, had lived　 2　 for many years in 1881 he returned to Scotland for a　 3　 . With him were his American wife Fanny and his son　 4　　 .

Each morning Stevenson would take them out for a long　 5　 over the hills. They had been　 6　 this for several days before the weather suddenly took a turn for the worse, Kept indoors by the heavy rain. Lloyd felt the days　 7　 . To keep the boy happy Robert asked the boy to do some　 8　 .

One morning, the boy came to Robert with a beautiful map of an island. Robert　 9　 that the boy had drawn a large cross in the middle of　 10　 . “What’s that?” he asked “That’s the　 11　 treasure “said the boy Robert suddenly　 12　 something of an adventure story in the boy’s　 13　 While the rain was pouring, Robert sat down by the fire to write a story. He would make the　 14　 a twelve-year-old boy just like Lloyd. But who would he the pirate（海盗）?

Robert had a good friend named Henley, who walked around with the　 15　 of a wooden leg. Robert had always wanted to　 16　 such a man in a story 17　 Long John Silver the pirate with a wooden leg, was　 18　 .

So thanks to a　 19　 .September in Scotland a friend with a wooden leg and the imagination of a twelve-year-old boy we have one of the greatest　 20　 stories in the English language.

难易度：难

1．A．However B．Therefore C．Besides D．Finally

2．A．alone　 B．next door C．at home D．abroad

3．A．meeting B．story　 C．holiday D．jib

4．A．Lloyd　 B．Robert C．Henley D．John

5．A．talk B．rest　 C．walk　 D．game

6．A．attempting B．missing C．planning　 D．enjoying

7．A．quiet　 B．dull　 C．busy　 D．cold

8．A．cleaning B．writing C．drawing D．exercising

9．A．doubted B．noticed C．decided D．recognized

10．A．the sea B．the house C．Scotland　 D．the island

11．A．forgotten B．buried C．discovered D．unexpected

12．A．saw B．drew　 C．made　 D．learned

13．A．book　 B．reply　 C．picture D．mind

14．A．star　 B．hero　 C．writer D．child

15．A．help　 B．problem C．use D．bottom

16．A．praise B．produce C．include D．accept

17．A．Yet B．Also　 C．But D．Thus

18．A．read　 B．born　 C．hired　 D．written

19．A．rainy B．sunny　 C．cool　 D．windy

20．A．news　 B．love　 C．real-life D．adventure

 

The school was across the street from our home and I would often watch the kids as they played during the break. She seemed so small as she pushed her way __1__ the crowd of boys on the playground. She __2__ from them all.

I began to notice her at other times, basketball in hand, playing __3__. She would practice dribbling (运球) and shooting over and over again, sometimes until __4__. One day I asked her __5__ she practiced so much. She looked __6__ in my eyes and without a moment of hesitation she said, “I want to go to college. The only way I can __7__ is if I get a scholarship. I am going to play college basketball. I want to be __8__. My Daddy told me if the dream is big enough, the facts don’t count.”

Well, I had to give it in to her—she was __9__. One day, I saw her sitting in the grass, head __10__ in her arms. I walked toward her and quietly asked what was __11__ “Oh, nothing,” came a soft reply. “I am just too short.” The coach told her that at her height she would probably __12__ get to play for a top ranked team, __13__ offered a scholarship. So she __14__ stop dreaming about college.

She was __15__ and I sensed her disappointment. I asked her if she had talked to her dad about it yet. She told me that her father said those coaches were wrong. They just did not __16__ the power of a dream. He told her __17__ she really wanted to play for a good college, if she truly wanted a scholarship, __18__ could stop her except one thing — her own attitude. He told her again, “If the dream is big enough, the facts don’t count.”

The next year, as she and her team went to the Northern California Championship game, she was seen by a college recruiter (招聘人员). She was indeed offered a __19__. She was going to get the college education that she had __20__ and worked toward it for all those years.

1. A. through　 B. across　 　　 C. over　 　 D. into

2. A. brought out 　 B. showed out 　 C. stood out 　　 D. work out

3. A. only 　　　 B. lonely 　 C. simply 　 D. alone

4. A. dark 　　　 B. dawn 　　　　 C. midnight 　　 D. daybreak

5. A. how 　 B. when 　　　　 C. why 　　　　　 D. what

6. A. worriedly B. shyly 　　　　 C. quietly 　　　 D directly

7. A. go 　　 　　B. get 　　　　　 C. enter 　　　　 D. attend

8. A. worse 　　 B. better 　　　 C. the best 　　 D. the worst

9. A. determined B. encouraged 　 C. fixed 　　　　 D. fascinated

10. A. covered 　 B. enclosed 　　 C. dropped 　　　 D. buried

11. A. the affair B. the wrong 　　 C. matter 　 D. the matter

12. A. ever 　　 B. even 　　　　 C. once 　　　　 D. never

13. A. far more B. much less 　　 C. much fewer 　 D. many more

14. A. should 　　　 B. must 　　　　 C. can 　　　　　 D. may

15. A. overjoyed 　 B. moved 　　 C. embarrassed 　 D. heartbroken

16. A. understand 　 B. experience 　　　 C. learn 　　　　 D. believe

17. A. even if 　　 B. as if 　　　　 C. that if 　　　 D only if

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

19. A. prize 　　 B. medal 　　 C. scholarship 　 D. position

20. A. dreamed of B. accepted 　　 C. thought of 　　　 D. appreciated

 

The letter was a great disappointment to me. It was from Holy Cross, the only school I really wanted to 1 . I scanned the page, “…. We had a great applicant pool this year. …We can’t offer spaces to 　2 … and place you on our waiting list.”

“What does it say, honey?” my dad asked, his voice full of 　3 for me.

“I didn’t get in, but I’m on the waiting list.”

“Well, at least it isn’t 　4 ,” he said brightly.

“Yeah, but 　5 , I don’t want to be on the waiting list; I want to be 　6 . No one gets in off the waiting list. It’s a way of saying ‘Thanks for 　7 ’.”

“Then let’s go out there and tell them so.”

“That sounds 　8 , dad.” I said sadly, “It doesn’t work.”

Upset and annoyed, I 　9 myself in my room. However，my father’s advice kept 　10 in my head. I thought about it for a few days, finally coming to the 　11 that he was right. And the next day I seated myself across from Mr. Luis Soto, my admissions officer.

“What can I do for you, Nacie?” he asked pleasantly.

“Well, sir, I am here to tell you that I love this school and would love a 　12 to be here. I just wanted to tell you how much going here would 　13 to me—it is my only dream college— and that I would use my time here to the best 　14 . I wanted to let you know that if you gave me a chance and reconsidered my application, you wouldn’t 　15 it.” The words had poured out 16 I could stop them or check their desperate tone.

Mr. Soto looked me over for a minute before he smiled broadly.

“OK, that is the kind of thing we love to hear. Congratulations, you’re in.”

It was so 　17 and I asked, “I’m sorry?”

“We want people in the class who want to be here, who will 　18 the best of this education. I’m glad you came to talk 　19 to me. I’m happy to offer you a position in the Class of 2009.”

The whole experience taught me a lesson: if you truly want something, never, ever 　20 .

1. A. attend 　　　 B. study 　　　　　 C. admit 　　　　 D. visit

2. A. everyone　 　 B. anyone 　 　 C. someone　　 　 D. no one

3. A. trust　 　 B. pity　　　 　 C. anxiety　　 　 D. curiosity

4. A. admission　　 B. imagination 　　 C. restriction D. rejection　

5. A. ever　　　 B. again　　　 　　 C. also　　 　　 D. still

6. A. recognized　 B. received　 　 C. accepted　 D. permitted

7. A. writing　　 　 B. trying　　 　 　 C. replying 　　 D. waiting

8. A. lame　　　 B. reasonable 　　 C. painful　　 D. practical

9. A. enjoyed　　 　 B. comforted　　 C. stayed　 　　 D. buried

10. A. saying　　 　 　　B. ringing　 　　 　　C. showing　 D. reminding

11. A. point 　 　　　　B. conclusion　 　　 C. agreement 　　 D. arrangement

12. A. chance　　 　 B. motivation　　　　 C. degree　 　 　　D. change　

13. A. refer　　 　 　　B. turn　　　 　 C. mean 　 　　　 D. stick

14. A. contribution　 　 B. condition 　　　 C. advantage D. result

15. A. suspect 　　 B. disappoint 　　 C. refuse 　　　 D. regret

16. A. as 　　　　B. when　 　　　 　　C. until 　　　　D. before　　

17. A. unbelievable 　 B. unforgettable 　 C. unbearable　　 D. favorable

18. A. take 　　　　 B. get 　　　　　　 C. make 　　　　 D. receive

19. A. patiently　　 B. openly 　　　 C. carefully 　　 D. calmly

20. A. get through　　 B. give up 　　　 　　C. keep on 　　　 D. try out