It was a Sunday morning, and I was in a terrible mood. Two of my friends had gone to the movies the night before and hadn’t invited me. I was in my room thinking of ways to make them sorry when my father came in. “Want to go for a ride, today, Beck? It’s a beautiful day.”
“No! Leave me alone!” Those were the last words I said to him that morning.
My friends called and invited me to go to the mall with them a few hours later. I forgot to be mad at them and went with them. I came home to find a note on the table. My mother put it where I would be sure to see it. “Dad has had an accident. Please meet us at Highland Park Hospital”.
When I reached the hospital, my mother came out and told me my father’s injuries were extensive. “Your father told the driver to leave him alone and just call 911, thank God! If he had moved Daddy, there’s no telling what might have happened. A broken rib(肋骨) might have pierced(穿透) a lung....”
My mother may have said more, but I didn’t hear. I didn’t hear anything except those terrible words: Leave me alone. My dad said them to save himself from being hurt more. How much had I hurt him when I hurled those words at him earlier in the day?
It was several days later that he was finally able to have a conversation. I held his hand gently, afraid of hurting him.
“Daddy... I am so sorry....”
“It’s okay, sweetheart. I’ll be okay.”
“No,” I said, “I mean about what I said to you that day. You know, that morning?”
My father could no more tell a lie than he could fly. He looked at me and said, “Sweetheart, I don’t remember anything about that day, not before, during or after the accident. I remember kissing you goodnight the night before, though.” He managed a weak smile.
My English teacher once told me that words have immeasurable power. They can hurt or they can heal. And we all have the power to choose our words. I intend to do that very carefully from now on.
【小题1】The author was in bad mood that morning because _______.

【小题1】The most universal f__________ expression is the smile, which is to show happiness and put people at ease.
【小题2】We hadn’t told anybody else about our plan, but c__________, he seemed to have
known what we would do next.
【小题3】--What happened to Tom yesterday?
--He had a car accident, but f__________ he was not injured.
【小题4】In order not to let others hear what they said, they talked in a w___________.
【小题5】When the dog attacked me, I picked up a stick and d__________ myself.
【小题6】Though She was very successful, she was never c__________ with what she had
achieved. 
【小题7】Stephen Hawking, one of the greatest scientists in the world, has been
s___________ with illness for many years. （斗争）
【小题8】--What do you think of my new dress?
--It’s pretty, but I don’t think it’s suitable for this __________. (场合)
【小题9】Steven Spielberg is one of the best d__________ in the world, who has made a lot of
excellent movies. (导演)
【小题10】At last Yuan Longpin succeeded in finding a way to increase rice harvests without
__________ the areas of fields. (扩大)

“Mama, when I grow up, I’m going to be one of those!” I said this after seeing the Capital Dancing Company perform when I was three. It was the first time that my dream took on a vivid form and acted as something important to start my training. As I grew older and was exposed to more, my interests in the world of dance certainly varied but that little girl’s dream of someday becoming a dancer in the company never left me. In the summer of 2005 when I was 18, I received the phone call which made that dream a reality: I became a member of the company dating back to 1925.
As I look back on that day now, it surely lacks any sense of reality. I believe I stayed in a state of pleasant disbelief until I was halfway through rehearsals (排练) on my first day. I never actually expect to get the job. After being offered the position, I was completely astonished. I remember shaking with excitement.
Though I was absolutely thrilled with the chance, it did not come without its fair share of challenge. Through the strict rehearsal period of dancing six days a week, I found it vital to pick up the material fast with every last bit of concentration. It is that extreme attention to detail (细节) and stress on practice that set us apart. To then follow those high-energy rehearsals with a busy show schedule of up to five performances a day, I discovered a new meaning of the words “hard work.” What I thought were my physical boundaries were pushed much further than I thought possible. I learned to make each performance better than the last.
Today, when I look at the unbelievable company that I have the great honor of being a part of, not only as a member, but as a dance captain, I see a tradition that has inspired not only generations of little girls but a splendid company that continues to develop and grow-and inspires people every day to follow their dreams.
【小题1】How many years has the Capital Dancing Company existed when the author received the phone call from it?

Many parents watch the news or other shows as children play nearby. But new research shows that even when the television is just background noise，it may be disruptive to a child’s normal development.
It’s estimated that 75 percent of very young children in the United States live in homes where the television is on most of the time，even though the kids often aren’t watching it. The University of Massachusetts researchers recently studied how TV background noise might affect young children. The study looked at 50 1­，2­and 3­year­olds. Each child came to a lab with a parent and was allowed to play for an hour with various toys. For half the time，a television was on in the room，showing the adult game show as well as advertisements. During the other half hour，the TV was turned off.
As expected，the children paid little attention to the adult television show，glancing at it for less than a few seconds at a time，and less than once a minute. Even so，the distraction (分心) of the background noise had a significant effect on how children at every age played. When the television was on，the children played with each toy for far shorter periods of time，and focused attention during play was also shorter compared to how they played when the TV was off.
Researchers said that even though the children aren’t interested in the show，background TV affects their ability to do various types of play. The finding is important because many well­meaning parents who wouldn’t let their young children watch television may not realize that even adult programs that don’t interest children still can have an effect.
“Background TV is potentially a chronic (长期的) environmental risk factor affecting most American children，” said the lead author of the study. “Parents should limit their young children’s exposure (接触)．”
【小题1】We know from the passage that________.

The island Fiji has always been around me in my life. My parents met in Fiji when my father was a teacher as a Peace Corps volunteer and my mother a student. They taught me about its people, culture, foods and religious beliefs.
At the age of two, I made my first trip across the Pacific Ocean to Fiji. My mother and I made that trip unexpectedly because my grandma was ill and longed to see her American granddaughter. Although I have few memories of that first trip, I do remember grandma braiding(编辫子) my hair every day. The brush gliding through my hair is a feeling I will treasure forever because she passed away soon. I returned to America when I was five years old. This time I had a brother, Martin, who was two.
I resisted my third trip to Fiji when I was 15, being a teenager who did not want to spend the summer away from friends. It was this trip, however, that made me realize that Fiji is not just a place to visit but a part of who I am. The smells and sounds and sights came back to me, but the best part was getting to know my relatives.
Vishal was one cousin I quickly bonded with(与…合拍). Born two days before me, I had only known him through pictures before. Though raised oceans apart in different cultures, we talked and laughed about everything from American sports to Fijian dancing. I was able to form close ties with all my cousins, and when I talk about them now, it’s as if I have known them my whole life. Spending time with them helped me understand the traditions and values my mother grew up with. Hospitality (热情) and care and respect for family members are central values in Fijian culture.
I truly enjoyed learning about my roots during this trip. Fuji is just like a second home, and I will never forget the time I have spent there.
【小题1】From the passage, we can learn that ______________________.

1. the author’s parents had been classmates before
2. the author had lived in Fiji for about five years
3. the author had no memories of her grandma
4. people value family in Fijian culture

1. she didn’t want to separate from her brother
2. she didn’t know her cousins there very well
3. she didn’t want to separate from her American friends
4. her grandma had passed away

1. He is younger than the author.
2. The author had met him on her first trip to Fiji.
3. He and the author had lots of common interests.
4. He and the author held different opinions about Fijian culture.