James shook his money box again.
Nothing! He carefully counted the coins that lay on the bed. All that he had was $24.52 (about 153 yuan). The bicycle he wanted was at least $90! How on earth (究竟) was he going to get the rest of the money?
He knew that his friends all had bicycles. It was hard to hang out with people when you were the only one without a bicycle. He thought about what he could do. There was no point asking his parents, for he knew they had no extra money.
There was only one way to get money, and that was to earn (挣) it. He would have to find a job. He decided to ask Mr Clay for advice.
“Well, you can start right here,” said Mr Clay. “You see, my windows need cleaning and my car needs washing.”
That was the beginning of James’ part-time job.
For the next three months he worked every day after finishing his homework. He took dogs for walks, cleaned out cupboards and repaired books.
The day finally came when James counted his money and found $ 94.32. He wasted no time and went down to the shop to pick up the bicycle he wanted. He rode home proudly, looking forward to showing his new bicycle to his friends. It had been hard working for the money, but James knew that he valued (珍惜) his bicycle far more because he had bought it with his own money. He had achieved what he thought was impossible, and that was worth even more than the bicycle.
【小题1】Why didn’t James ask his parents for help?

完形填空（15分）
阅读下面短文, 掌握其大意，然后从各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
I stood in the doorway, watching my elder brother carefully putting clothes into his bag. I coughed uneasily. Finally 　　36　　 that I was there, Rocky turned towards me with a sad smile.
“I’m 　　37　　 tomorrow,” he said.
“I know.” My __38____ was almost a whisper. I was 　　39　　 at myself for being so weak, but I wasn’t about to cry.
“My 　　40　　 is early, so there is still 　　41　　 time to come to the airport,” he said. Seeing the 　　42　　 look on my face, he quickly added, “I promise I won’t leave without saying goodbye.”
I tried to say 　　43　　 , but didn’t. It’s always 　　44　　 to keep quiet if you’re about to cry. “You promised you wouldn’t cry,” he said to me, thinking that I was close to 　　45　　.
I remember the day he taught me how to ride a bike. 　　46　　 I thought he was always right behind me, holding the seat to keep me from 　　47　　. I was happy with this, but he knew he couldn’t hold me up all my life. He told me that one day he would have to let go.
His coughing stopped my thinking. What was left to say? How could I say 　　48　　 to the person who taught me everything?
The next morning I 　　49　　 , looked at my alarm clock, and realized he had left　50　 ago. We never even said goodbye.
Goodbye, Rocky! Although he may have been many miles away, I knew he heard me, even if it was only an answer in his heart.

Joe Brown had a shop. He sold(卖) meat in his shop . One Thursday a woman came into his shop at five to one . “I’m sorry I’m late,” she said. “I need some more meat for my dinner tonight.” Joe had only one piece of meat in his shop. He took it out of the fridge and said, “This is＄6.50.”  “That piece is too small.” the woman said, “haven’t you for anything bigger?” Joe went into the room behind his shop, put the piece of meat into the fridge, took it out again and closed the door with lots of noise. Then he brought the piece of meat to the woman and said, “This piece of meat is bigger and more expensive. It’s ＄8.75.” “Good,” the woman said with a smile,“give me both of them.”
(   )1.Joe Brown was_______________.
A. a waiter                            B. a runner       
C. an actor                            D. a shopkeeper
(   )2.When did the woman come to Joe’s shop?
A. Early in the morning.         B. Early in the afternoon.
C. Late in the morning.          D. At about one o’clock at night.
(   )3.Why didn’t the woman want that piece of meat?
A. Because she had no money.       B. Because it was bad.
C. Because it wasn’t big enough.     D. Because it was too big
(   )4.How many pieces of meat were kept in the fridge?
A. Only one piece of meat.            B. Two pieces of meat.
C. Several pieces of meat.            D. Many pieces of meat.
(   )5. Could Joe give the woman both pieces of meat?
A. Of course not.                          B. Certainly.     
C. He would try his best.                    D. Yes, he could.

Parents are a child’s first teachers. But some parents never learned from good examples. In New York City, Covenant House tries to help homeless young mothers become good parents.
The twelve or so teenagers who live at the shelter attend parenting classes four days a week. The class is called Mommy and Me.
Teacher Delores Clemens is a mother of five and a grandmother. She teaches basic skills, like how to give a baby a bath and how to dress a baby in different seasons.
She remembers one student who learned from her mother not to pick up a crying baby. The mother said that would only make the child needy.
“I said ‘That’s not true. You have to hold your baby! He is crying for a reason. If you never pick him up, he’s going to keep crying. Pick your baby up. Hug(拥抱)him! And she started to do that. They just want a little hugging and a little love. And it works!” Delores Clemens said.
Delores Clemens says her students also learn how to be good mothers by letting themselves be mothered. “I’m doing something for them that never has been done for them before.”
In class, with her baby son, is Natasha. She lived on the streets. She is glad not only for the warmth and shelter of Covenant House. As she told reporter Adam Phillips, she is also glad for the help they offer in looking for a safer life.
“Did you go to high school?”
“Yes.”
“Did you graduate?”
“No, I didn’t. I was in my last year and then, I got pregnant(怀孕)and I got lazy.”
“You look like you are willing to accept responsibility(责任)for that.”
“Yes, I am, and I would like to finish.”
Some teenage mothers wish they themselves could be children again. 18-year-old Placida knows that feeling. “Because you have to get up every two hours in the middle of the night, and you can’t go out and say ‘I am going to buy this for myself.’ No. I have to buy pampers, clothes and food. So now it’s two. So it’s very hard.” Placida said.
【小题1】What did Natasha want to finish high school for?

Once I spoke at a high school. After the speech, the principal asked me to see a special student. An     1   had kept the boy home, but he had expressed an interest in meeting me, and it would mean a great deal to him. I agreed.
He was Matthew.   2  he was born, the doctor told his parents that he would not live to see five, then they were told    3  would not make it to ten. Now he was thirteen. He wanted to meet me because I was a gold-medal weight lifter.
I spent over an hour talking to Matthew. He spoke about   4  and succeeding and seeking（追寻）his dreams.
When we finished talking, I went to my    5 and pulled out the first gold medal I won and put it around his neck. I told him he was more of a winner and knew more about    6   and overcoming obstacles（克服障碍）than I ever would. He looked at it for a while, then took it off and handed it   7  to me. He said, “You are a champion. You earned that medal. Someday when I get to the Olympics and win my own medal, I will show it to you.”
Last summer I got the news that Matthew had   8   and a letter Matthew had written to me a few days before:
Dear Rick,
My mom said I should send you a thank-you letter. The doctors are   9  to tell me that I don't have long to live any more. But I still smile as much as I can.
I told you that in the future I was going to the Olympics and win a gold medal. But I know now I'll      10   . I know I'm a champion, and God knows that too. When I get to Heaven, God will give me my medal and when you get there, I will show it to you.
Thank you for loving me.
Your friend
Matthew