When I was about 12, I had an enemy, a girl who liked to point out my shortcomings(缺点). Week by week her list grew: I was very thin, I wasn’t a good student, I talked too much, I was too proud, and so on. I tried to hear all this as long as I could. At last, I became very angry. I ran to my father with tears in my eyes.                       He listened to me quietly, then he asked. “Are the things she says true or not? Janet, didn’t you ever wonder what you’re really like ? Well, you now have that girl’s opinion. Go and make a list of everything she said and mark the points that are true. Pay no attention to the other things she said.”                                                                         

I did as he told me. To my great surprise, I discovered that about half the things were true. Some of them I couldn’t change (like being very thin), but a good number I could—and suddenly I wanted to change. For the first time I go to fairly clear picture of myself.            

I brought the list back to Daddy. He refused to take it.“That’s just for you,” he said.“You know better than anyone else the truth about yourself. But you have to learn to listen, not just close your ears in anger and feeling hurt. When something said about you is true, you’ll find it will be of help to you. Our world is full of people who think they know your duty. Don’t shut your ears. Listen to them all, but hear the truth and do what you know is the right thing to do.”                   

Daddy’s advice has returned to me at many important moments. In my life, I’ve never had a better piece of advice.                                                          

1.What does “Week by week her list grew” mean?                                   

A. Week by week she discovered more shortcomings of mine and pointed them out to me.  

B. She had made a list of my shortcomings and she kept on adding new ones to it so that it was growing longer and longer.                                                 

C. I was having more and more shortcomings as time went on.                        

D. Week by week, my shortcomings grew more serious.                         

2.Why did her father listen to her quietly?                                          

A. Because he believed that what her daughter’s “enemy” said was mostly true.          

B. Because he had been so angry with his daughter’s shortcomings that he wanted to show this by keeping silent for a while.                                                

C. Because he knew that his daughter would not listen to him at that moment.            

D. Because he wasn’t quite sure which girl was telling the truth.                        

3.Which do you think would be the best title for this passage?                          

A. Not an Enemy, but the Best Friend   

B. The Best Advice I’ve Ever Had                             

C. My Father                      

D. My Childhood

Mike found a job in a bookstore after he finished middle school. He wouldn’t do anything but wanted to get rich.

It was a cold morning. It snowed and there was thin ice on the streets. Few people went to buy books and the young man had nothing to do. He hated to read, so he watched the traffic. Suddenly he saw a bag fall off a truck and it landed by the other side of the street.

“It is full of expensive things.” Mike said to himself. “I have to get it right now, or others will take it away.”

He went out of the bookstore and ran across the street. A driver saw him and began to whistle (鸣笛), but he didn’t hear it and went on running. The man drove to the side, hit a big tree and hurt himself in the accident. Two weeks later, Mike was taken to the court (法庭). A judge asked if he heard the whistle when he was running across the street. He said that something was wrong with his ears and he could hear nothing.

“But you heard me this time,” said the judge.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Now I can hear with one ear.”

“Cover (盖住) the ear with your hand and listen to me with your deaf (聋的) one. Well, can you hear me?”

“No, I can’t , sir.”

“You told a lie. There is nothing wrong with either of your ears,” the judge said.

1.Mike found a job as a _____________ when he left school.

2.One day he saw __________ in the street.

3.The traffic accident happened because _____________.

4.Which of the following statements is NOT true?

When I was about 12, a girl in my class liked to point out my problems. I was too thin; I wasn’t a good student; I talked too much; I was too  61  , and so on. At last, I became very angry and ran to my father.
He listened to me  62 . Then he asked, “Are these things true or not? Do you know what you are really like? Go and make a  63  of what she said and find the  64  that are true.”
I did he told me. To my great  65 . I discovered that about half of the things were true. Some of them I couldn’t change(like being very thin). But there were things I could and wanted to change. For the  66  time, I got a clear  67  of myself.
I brought the list back to dad. He refused to take it. “That’s just for you.” He said. “You know the truth about  68  better than anyone else. When people say something that is true about you, you should find it helpful.”
Our world is full of people who think they know your business. Don’t  69  and feel  70 . Listen to them.

Today Grandma comes for a visit. She gives my sister and me a box of chocolate candies. We say "thank you!"
Then Jenny quickly takes off the box. The pieces all look the same! I can't tell which pieces are hard inside and which are soft! I only like the soft ones. Jenny does not care. She is happy to get any kind of candy!
I slowly look at all the pieces; I don't know which one to choose. Just then Dad calls us Grandma is going home, He wants us to say goodbye to her. I hurry to the front door where they are standing. Jenny comes a few minutes later. I say, "Grandma, I hope to see you soon. I always feel sad when you leave. "Jenny stands behind me and doesn't say anything. After Grandma goes home, I find out why Jenny doesn't say anything.
She has most of our candies in her mouth! Only a few pieces are left in the bottom of the box! Then I'm sad!
【小题1】Who comes to see Jenny and her brother?