Steve, a twelve-year-old boy with alcoholic parents, was about to be lost forever, by the U.S. education system. Remarkably, he could read, yet, in spite of his reading skills, Steve was failing. He had been failing since first grade, as he was passed on from grade to grade. Steve was a big boy, looking more like a teenager than a twelve year old, yet, Steve went unnoticed... until Miss White.

Miss White was a smiling, young, beautiful redhead, and Steve was in love! For the first time in his young life, he couldn’t take his eyes off his teacher; yet, still he failed. He never did his homework, and he was always in trouble with Miss White. His heart would break under her sharp words, and when he was punished for failing to turn in his homework, he felt just miserable! Still, he did not study.

In the middle of the first semester of school, the entire seventh grade was tested for basic skills. Steve hurried through his tests, and continued to dream of other things, as the day wore on. His heart was not in school, but in the woods, where he often escaped alone, trying to shut out the sights, sounds and smells of his alcoholic home. No one checked on him to see if he was safe. No one knew he was gone, because no one was sober（清醒的） enough to care. Oddly, Steve never missed a day of school.

One day, Miss White’s impatient voice broke into his daydreams. “Steve!!” Startled, he turned to look at her.

“Pay attention!”

Steve locked his gaze on Miss White with adolescent adoration (青春期的爱慕), as she began to go over the test results for the seventh grade.

“You all did pretty well,” she told the class, “except for one boy, and it breaks my heart to tell you this, but...” She hesitated, pinning Steve to his seat with a sharp stare, her eyes searching his face.

“...The smartest boy in the seventh grade is failing my class!”

She just stared at Steve, as the class spun around for a good look. Steve dropped his eyes and carefully examined his fingertips.

　After that, it was war!! Steve still wouldn’t do his homework. Even as the punishments became more severe, he remained stubborn.

“Just try it! ONE WEEK!” He was unmoved.

“You’re smart enough! You’ll see a change!” Nothing fazed him.

“Give yourself a chance! Don’t give up on your life!” Nothing.

“Steve! Please! I care about you!”

Wow! Suddenly, Steve got it!! Someone cared about him? Someone, totally unattainable and perfect, CARED ABOUT HIM??!!

Steve went home from school, thoughtful, that afternoon. Walking into the house, he took one look around. Both parents were passed out, in various stages of undress, and the stench(恶臭) was overpowering! He, quickly, gathered up his camping gear, a jar of peanut butter, a loaf of bread, a bottle of water, and this time...his schoolbooks. Grim faced and determined, he headed for the woods.

The following Monday he arrived at school on time, and he waited for Miss White to enter the classroom. She walked in, all sparkle and smiles! God, she was beautiful! He yearned for her smile to turn on him. It did not.

Miss White, immediately, gave a quiz on the weekend homework. Steve hurried through the test, and was the first to hand in his paper. With a look of surprise, Miss White took his paper. Obviously puzzled, she began to look it over. Steve walked back to his desk, his heart pounding within his chest. As he sat down, he couldn’t resist another look at the lovely woman.

Miss White’s face was in total shock! She glanced up at Steve, then down, then up. Suddenly, her face broke into a radiant smile. The smartest boy in the seventh grade had just passed his first test!

From that moment nothing was the same for Steve. Life at home remained the same, but life still changed. He discovered that not only could he learn, but he was good at it!

He discovered that he could understand and retain knowledge, and that he could translate the things he learned into his own life. Steve began to excel! And he continued this course throughout his school life.

After high-school Steve enlisted in the Navy, and he had a successful military career. During that time, he met the love of his life, he raised a family, and he graduated from college Magna Cum Laude. During his Naval career, he inspired many young people, who without him, might not have believed in themselves. Steve began a second career after the Navy, and he continues to inspire others, as an adjunct professor（副教授） in a nearby college。

Miss White left a great legacy. She saved one boy who has changed many lives. I know, because I am the love of his life.

You see, it’s simple, really. A change took place within the heart of one boy, all because of one teacher, who cared.

1.What does the underlined sentence in the first paragraph mean?

A．Steve would give up schooling forever.

B．Steve was at a loss about improving his study.

C．Being unhappy both in school and at home, Steve intended to end his own life.

D．Due to his poor study, Steve was about to be expelled from his school.

2.What made Steve change greatly all of a sudden?

A．Miss White’s encouragement             B．Miss White’s praise

C．knowing Miss White concerned him         D．Miss White’s persuasion

3.What might be the best title for this passage?

A．A boy loves his teacher                   B．The difference a teacher can make

C．A great teacher                         D．Please care about your students

第二节完形填空(共20小题；每题1.5分，满分30分)
What a blessing to be alive in a wonderful world of unlimited possibilities．After contracting Hodgkin's disease at seven and being given six months to live，I recovered．I’m not dying of cancer．I’m   36  with it ．  37   what comes my way, I don’t have to be afraid any more．
In the second year of high school，the class was scheduled to run the  38  ．Due to the swelling and  39  from surgery on my leg，for two years I hadn't worn shorts and lived in  40 ．Yet that day，I was ready-shorts，heart and mind．When the coach yelled，“Ready．Set．Go!” I ran faster than anyone else for the first 20 feet， 41  to finish first．As we came around the first of four laps，there were students all over the  42 ．By the end of the second and third laps，many of the students had already  43 and were on the ground breathing deeply．By the time I hit the fourth lap，I was   44 ．Then it hit me．I realized nobody had given up．  45 ，everyone had already finished．I cried．12 minutes，42 seconds after starting，I   46  the finish line．I fell to the ground，  47  ．
Suddenly my coach ran up to me and  48 ，yelling，“You did it，Manuel ．You finished，son ．”He looked me   49   in the eyes，waving a piece of paper in his hand．It was my  50  for the day，which I had forgotten．He read it aloud to everyone．It simply said,“I，Manuel Diotte，will finish the mile run tomorrow，whatever  51  come．No  52 or frustration will stop me．  53  capable of finishing，and with God as my strength，I'll finish．” My heart   54  and tears went away．It was then    55  I realized winning is not always finishing first．Sometimes winning is just finishing．
36．A．enduring         B．studying       C．living         D．burdening
37．A．Regardless of     B．As of          C．In terms of    D．Let alone
38．A．game             B．competition    C．match          D．mile
39．A．wounds           B．scars          C．signs          D．treats
40．A．fear             B．surprise       C．anger          D．disappointment
41．A．hoped            B．determined     C．expected       D．longed
42．A．trip             B．school         C．ground         D．track
43．A．quit             B．gone           C．insisted       D．left
44．A．annoyed          B．confident      C．alone          D．lonely
45．A．Otherwise        B．Instead        C．Yet            D．Besides
46．A．ran              B．walked         C．passed         D．crossed
47．A．embarrassed      B．proud          C．amused         D．excited
48．A．sent me up       B．picked me up   C．took me up    D．set me up
49．A．up               B．over           C．straight       D．ahead
50．A．opinion          B．goal           C．belief         D．thought
51．A．can              B．may            C．should         D．must
52．A．hesitation        B．blame          C．pain           D．laughter
53．A．Other than        B．More than      C．Rather than    D．Less than
54．A．lifted            B．broke          C．sank           D．beat
55．A．before           B．when           C．that           D．Since

第二节 完形填空(共20小题；每题1.5分，满分30分)

What a blessing to be alive in a wonderful world of unlimited possibilities．After contracting Hodgkin's disease at seven and being given six months to live，I recovered．I’m not dying of cancer．I’m   36  with it ．  37   what comes my way, I don’t have to be afraid any more．

In the second year of high school，the class was scheduled to run the  38   ．Due to the swelling and  39  from surgery on my leg，for two years I hadn't worn shorts and lived in   40  ．Yet that day，I was ready-shorts，heart and mind．When the coach yelled，“Ready．Set．Go!” I ran faster than anyone else for the first 20 feet， 41  to finish first．As we came around the first of four laps，there were students all over the  42  ．By the end of the second and third laps，many of the students had already  43  and were on the ground breathing deeply．By the time I hit the fourth lap，I was   44  ．Then it hit me．I realized nobody had given up．  45  ，everyone had already finished．I cried．12 minutes，42 seconds after starting，I   46  the finish line．I fell to the ground，  47  ．

Suddenly my coach ran up to me and   48  ，yelling，“You did it，Manuel ．You finished，son ．”He looked me   49   in the eyes，waving a piece of paper in his hand．It was my   50  for the day，which I had forgotten．He read it aloud to everyone．It simply said,“I，Manuel Diotte，will finish the mile run tomorrow，whatever  51  come．No   52  or frustration will stop me．  53  capable of finishing，and with God as my strength，I'll finish．” My heart   54   and tears went away．It was then    55  I realized winning is not always finishing first．Sometimes winning is just finishing．

36．A．enduring          B．studying        C．living         D．burdening

37．A．Regardless of      B．As of           C．In terms of    D．Let alone

38．A．game             B．competition     C．match          D．mile

39．A．wounds           B．scars          C．signs          D．treats

40．A．fear              B．surprise       C．anger          D．disappointment

41．A．hoped            B．determined     C．expected       D．longed

42．A．trip              B．school         C．ground         D．track

43．A．quit              B．gone           C．insisted       D．left

44．A．annoyed           B．confident      C．alone          D．lonely

45．A．Otherwise         B．Instead        C．Yet            D．Besides

46．A．ran               B．walked         C．passed         D．crossed

47．A．embarrassed       B．proud          C．amused         D．excited

48．A．sent me up        B．picked me up    C．took me up     D．set me up

49．A．up               B．over           C．straight       D．ahead

50．A．opinion           B．goal           C．belief         D．thought

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

52．A．hesitation         B．blame          C．pain           D．laughter

53．A．Other than         B．More than      C．Rather than    D．Less than

54．A．lifted             B．broke          C．sank           D．beat

55．A．before            B．when           C．that           D．since