BALTIMORE. MARYLAND—An old postcard changed the lives of an eleven-year-old boy and a very sick woman. The postcard had a picture of the steamship Titanic. The Titanic was the largest ocean ship in the world. It hit an iceberg（冰山）and sank on April 14. 1912. More than 1,500 of the 2,200 people on the ship were killed.

　　The postcard was passed from one person to another for more than 80 years. Then it appeared at a card show for people who liked to collect postcards. An eleven-year-old boy, Joey Russell, came to the show with his grandfather. His grandfather knew everything about the Titanic and its trip from England to New York. “Let’s buy that postcard.” he told Joey. “It will be important someday.”

　　Two years later, Joey’s grandfather took him on a special trip. They went on a trip to the North Atlantic ocean to watch as workers pulled the Titanic up from the bottom of the ocean. Joey put his special postcard in his bag for the trip. On the ship, Joey met Edith Haisman. This woman was on the Titanic when it sank. She was one of the people who were rescued. Joey pulled the postcard out of his pocket. “Please sign this, Mrs. Haisman.” he said. She was happy to write her name on the back of the postcard.

When Joey got home, he put the postcard away and forgot about it, Then Kate Shelley, one of Joey’s friends, told him that her mother was very sick. She needed an operation, but there was a problem. The operation was very expensive, and the family needed $80, 000 to pay for it. Friends and relatives tried to help. But where could they get so much money?

　　Then when Joey went to see the new movie “Titanic”, he had an idea. “Millions of people are seeing this movie and reading about the Titanic.” Joey thought. He remembered the old postcard with Edith Haisman’s signature on it. “Maybe I can sell it for some money. Then I can help Kate’s mom.”

　　Joey told his mother and father about his idea to help Mrs. Shelley. His parents helped him try to sell the postcard to the person who would pay the most money for it. Joey’s story was on television and in newspapers. Joey and Kate even went to New York to be on a national TV show. After the show, many people called in to offer money for the Titanic card. Someone bought it for $60. 000.

Joey’s kind heart and the old Titanic postcard worked together to save a woman’s life.

1.Which of the following is NOT true about the old postcard?

A. The Titanic was the largest steamship in the world in 1912.

B. The steamship Titanic hit an iceberg and sank about a hundred years ago

C. Over two thousand passengers were killed in the ocean accident.

D. More than eighty years had passed before the postcard belonged to Joey.

2.Joey Russell _________.

A. decided to buy the postcard at a shop

B. showed great interest in collecting postcards

C. took the postcard with him to see Mrs. Shelley

D. asked Mrs. Haisman to sign her name on his postcard

3.What does the underlined word “rescued” mean in the sentence?

A. Be made safe from danger.

B. Be on an ocean trip.

C. Be working on board.

D. Be asked to sell the postcard.

4.When did Joey Russell have the idea of selling his old postcard for money?

A. When Kate Shelley told him of her mother’s sickness.

    B. When he went to see the new movie “Titanic”.

    C. When he was reading the new book of Titanic.

    D. When he remembered Mrs. Haisman’s signature on his card.

5.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A. The Titanic arrived in New York at the end of April, 1912.

B. At the age of 13, Joey Russell got Mrs. Haisman’s signature.

C. Joey Russell sold out his postcards on a national TV show.

D. The Titanic card was sold to many people for $60, 000.

Once there lived an old man in a town. He always forgot a lot of things. So his wife always had to say to him，“Don't forget this.”

    One day he went on a long way alone. Before he left home，his wife said，“Now you have all these things. You need them on your way. Take care of your things on the way.” He went to the station. He bought a ticket and got on the train with it.

   About an hour later，the conductor began to see the tickets. He came to the old man and said，“Will you please show me your ticket?” The old man looked for his ticket in all his pockets but he could not find it. He was very worried.“I can't find my ticket. I really bought a ticket before I got on the train ” said the old man.

   “I think you are right. I believe you bought a ticket. All right，you don't have to buy another ticket ” said the conductor kindly. But the old man still(仍然) looked worried and said sadly，“You don't know why I'm worried. If I don't find my ticket，I can't remember my station. Where am I going? ”

1.The old man bought a ticket _______.

A. after he got on the train

B. before he got on the train

C. when the conductor told him to buy one

D. when he found he had no ticket with him

2.About an hour later，the conductor began _______.

A. to buy the tickets　　　

B. to look for the tickets

C. to check(检查) the tickets　

D. to show the tickets

3. The conductor told the old man that he didn't need to buy another ticket because _________.

A. the man was very old

B. he thought the old man had no money with him

C. the old man showed him the ticket

D. he believed the old man

4.The old man still looked worried because _________.

A. he couldn't get on the train.

B. he lost his ticket and a lot of money

C. he thought his wife would get angry with him

D. he forgot where he was going

5.Which of the following(下列) is right?

A. The old man went on the trip with his wife

B. The old man didn't find his ticket

C. The conductor was also an old man

D. The old man had to buy another ticket

One Friday night, a poor young man stood at the train station. He played his violin and many people put 41  into the hat in front of him.　　
The next day, the young man came to the station 42  . But this time he took out a large piece of paper 43 some words on it. It said “Last night a lady 44  Mrs Sang put an important thing into my hat 45  . Please come for it.”　　
After about an hour, a middle-aged woman ran to the young man in a hurry and said, “You do come here. I know that you’re a(n) 46  man and will certainly come here.” They had a talk and the young man made sure she was the owner. Then he took out a lottery ticket and 47  it to the woman. Her husband bought a lottery ticket every day. Yesterday when she knew the lottery ticket he bought won, she was very 48  . The prize of the lottery ticket was $ 500,000. When she walked past the young man, she took out $50 and put it in the hat. 49  , the lottery ticket was also thrown in.　　
Later, someone asked the young man, “You play the violin every day to make money. Why didn’t you just take the prize of the lottery ticket for yourself?” the young man said，“Although I don’t have much money, I live happily. But if I 50  honesty, I won’t be happy forever.”　　
【小题1】 A. money       B. tickets          C. paper　　
【小题2】 A. instead       B. differently      C. again　　
【小题3】 A. for          B. with           C. over　　
【小题4】 A. introduced    B. spelled         C. named　　
【小题5】 A. by mistake     B. for mistake      C. on mistake　　
【小题6】 A. crazy         B. cool        C. honest　　
【小题7】 A. gave          B. lent            C. offered　　
【小题8】 A. surprising       B. happy          C. exciting　　
【小题9】 A. But            B. However      C. Therefore　　
【小题10】 A. have            B. win             C. lose　　

Ellen Parker was worried about her health. She could not walk very quickly and it was difficult for her to climb stars. She was soon out of breath (气喘吁吁).

“I suppose I had better go to the doctor,” she thought.

She went to the doctor and told him her problem.

“I’m not surprised at all,” he said. “It’s obvious what your problem is.”

He looked her over then gave her some advice.

“If you don’t do what I say, Mrs. Parker,” he said, “you will have a heart attack. It could kill you.”

Ellen Parker was very worried as she left the doctor’s. She knew that she had to take his advice but it would not be easy and it would take time.

The next day she went shopping. The first shop she went into was a butcher’s shop (肉铺).

“I’d like ten pounds of steak (牛排), please,” she said.

“Certainly, madam,” the butcher replied and went into the cold room and found a large piece of steak. He brought the huge piece of meat back into the shop and put it on the scale (天平).

“That’s just under ten pounds,” he said.

“That big enough,” Mrs. Parker said.

The butcher worked out the price.

“At $4.99 a pound that will be $49.50, please. Would you like me to cut it up into smaller pieces for you?”

“Oh, I don’t want to buy the meat,” Mrs. Parker said.

“If you don’t want to buy it,” the butcher replied angrily, “why did you ask me to get it for you?”

“My doctor told me that I am over-weight and I have to lose ten pounds. I wanted to see what ten pounds of meat looked like.”

1.Why did Ellen Parker visit the doctor?

　A. She had had a heart attack.

B. She had a problem with her health.

　C. She was unhappy about her weight.

D. She could not sleep well.

2.What did the doctor advise her to do?

　A. To lose weight.                   B. To eat more meat.

C. To come and see him again.        D. To look after her heart.

3.Why did Ellen Parker ask for ten pounds of steak?

　A. She wanted to buy some for dinner.

B. She wanted to lose weight.

　C. Her doctor had told her to eat steak.

D. She wanted to see what ten pounds of meat looked like.

4.What was Ellen Parker’s real problem?

　A. She ate too much steak.

B. She weighed too much.

　C. The doctor did not know.    

D. She could not walk very quickly.