I can still remember when I met my best friend．She had just moved into the neighborhood and her grandmother brought her down to  11  me．I hid behind my mother and she hid behind her grandmother，  12 to look at each other．Soon we lost the    13  and started playing with each other．

In the 7^th grade，I first lost touch with her．She was  14 family problems and I deserted her to be with the "cooler people" because they knew she had been a   15       person．None of my new friends liked her as much as I did because they knew she had  16 ．However，every summer we could always sit at each other’s house and watch soap operas，and talk about all the boys we liked．

It was last year when I noticed the problem．I guess I was too devoted in high school to   17 she needed someone there for her．Anyway，she made a new best friend and so did I．Then 1 didn’t know why，but she started cutting herself!

She then was diagnosed（诊断）with clinical（临床的）depression．At first，1 was very   18 ，but we still stayed in   19 ．I wanted to be there for her since her new best friend basically   20 her and people were calling her   21 ，and I knew I still cared about her like a sister.

Yesterday she came to me and said：“I never knew what a best friend was until you were the only person that would stop me cutting．I  22 you so much，and you didn’t even know you were   23 me．”

We both cried．And I guess a kind of   24 from my life so far is never to give up on your friends．Even if they aren’t as cool as others，or people think they are crazy，they need someone there．If you desert them，you will only be  25 yourself. So if a friend needs you, and you care for them, you can never desert them.

It was lunchtime and I walked into a small branch office on the West Side. I had come to   36  a checking account. The only officer on   37  was a fortyish black man, standing   38  a small counter from a young white boy who was wearing a V-necked sweater. I think I was especially   39  of the boy because he looked more like a kid from a prep school than a   40  in a West Side bank.
The boy continued to   41  my attention because of what happened next. He was holding an open savings-account book and   42  an expression of disappointment. “But I don’t understand. I opened the account myself, so why can’t I   43  any money?” the boy said, his voice breaking.
“I know it is, but those are the rules. I’ve already explained to you that a fourteen-year-old is not   44  to withdraw money without a letter from his parents,” the officer explained patiently.
Suddenly I noticed the account had a series of small deposits and withdraws. Then I questioned the officer, “How do you   45  that? Why did you let him withdraw money before, but not now?” He looked   46 . “Because the tellers were not aware of his age before and now they are. It’s really very   47 .” I turned to the boy with a shrug. “You’re really getting   48 ,” I said. “You ought to get your parents to come in here and   49 .” The boy looked destroyed.   50 , he put his savings book in a rear-pocket and walked out of the bank.
The officer turned to me. “You know,” he said, “you really shouldn’t have got   51 .” I couldn’t believe what this idiot was saying. “We were   52  this morning that some neighborhood bully has been shaking down (敲诈) this boy for more than a month. The other guy was   53  him to take money out every week and hand it over. The poor kid was   54  too scared to tell anyone. Anyway, the police are on the case and they’ll probably make a(n)  55  today."
“You mean there is no rule about being too young to withdraw money from a savings account?”
“Not that I ever heard of. Now, sir, what can we do for you?”

I worked as a waitress for a few months. I was not a great waitress and I worked in a restaurant that served mostly older people who, however, have not learned that ten percent of their expense is no longer a tip that waitresses can live on – let alone a college student working hard for 20 hours a week!
One night, when I was still working two hours after shift(轮班) was supposed to finish, all that I wanted was for my last table to clear out so I could clean and go home. My last customer caught me on her way out and asked if I had change for a twenty. I dug through my pocket and turned out my night’s earnings—a small amount of $14.
She smiled at me and said, “That is enough.”
My eyes were full of tears as I made the uneven(不等价的) exchange. “Thank you, ”I said in a low voice.
I heard her little boy ask why she did that and she explained that I’d had a hard night and she just wanted to help me out. I even heard her words, “Reach out your hands when somebody needs help.” I noticed the little boy nodded his head. Not only did her kindness touch my hurried and tiring life, but she also taught her son an important lesson that night.
I do not know her name, but I will always remember her.
1. According to the passage, at that time the author was ___________.
A. a full-time worker               B. still a college student
C. a school-leaver                 D. a secretary in a big company
2. Why did the woman want an uneven exchange?
A. She was to thank the author for her service.
B. She was in great need of change to buy a gift for her son
C. She was only to teacher her son a lesson.
D. She only wanted to give a hand to the author.
3. What was the woman’s son’s attitude to what she did at last?
A. Unbelievable.                  B. Acceptable.
C. Disappointed.                  D. Amazed.
4. What did the woman probably teach her son?
A. To live a hard life.
B. To give a waitress a more than 10% tip.
C. To show kindness to those  who need help.
D. To make an uneven change.

第二节 完形填空（共20小题，每小题1．5分，满分30分）
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从36—55各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并填在答卷卡上。
I can still remember the first day when I met my best friend. She had just moved into the neighborhood （邻里）and her grandmother brought her down to  36  me. I hid behind my mother and she hid behind her grandmother,  37  to look at each other. Soon we lost the  38  and started playing with each other.
In the 7th grade, I first lost touch with her. She was  39  family problems and I deserted her to be with the “cooler people”. None of my new friends liked her as much as I did  40  they knew she had  41  . However, every summer we  42  always sit at each other’s house and watch soap operas （肥皂剧）and talk about all the boys we liked.
It was last year when I noticed the problem. I guessed I was  43  devoted in high school to  __44  she needed someone there for her. Anyway, she made a new  “best firiend” and so did I. Then I didn’t know why,  45  she started cutting herself!
She then was diagnosed as clinical depression （临床抑郁症）. At first, I was very  46  , but we still stayed in  47  . I wanted to be there for her since her new best friends basically  48  her and people were calling her  49  .
Yesterday she came to me and said: “I never knew what a best friend was  50  you were the only person that would stop me from cutting. 1  51  you so much, and you didn’t even know you were  52  me.”
We both cried. And I think a kind of  53  from my life so far is to never give up on （放弃）your friends. Even if they aren’t as cool as others, or people think they are crazy, they need  54__ there. If you desert them, you will only be   55  yourself.
36. A. follow  B. meet   C. join    D. support
37. A. scared   B. angry  C. worried      D. delighted
38. A. temper  B. interest       C. confidence  D. shyness
39. A. working out     B. answering for      C. going through    D. helping with
40. A. though  B. because      C. while  D. yet
41. A. problems     B. shortcomings      C. partners       D. disabilities
42. A. should  B. could  C. would D. might
43. A. much    B. too     C. only    D. just
44. A. admit   B. accept C. consider     D. realize
45. A. but           B. for    C. or           D. so
46. A. mad     B. careless      C. upset   D. hopeful
47. A. place    B. touch  C. control       D. mood
48. A. confused      B. bothered     C. reminded    D. deserted
49. A. crazy    B. selfish C. brave  D. lonely
50. A. since    B. when  C. until   D. if
51. A. expect  B. influence          C. appreciate   D. demand
52. A. cheating       B. reminding         C. helping       D. praising
53. A. honour B. favour C. pleasure     D. lesson
54. A. someone      B. something         C. anyone       D. everything
55. A. unguilty       B. successful         C. guilty   D. reliable

My husband and I were once in Nepal (尼泊尔) to see sunrise over the Himalayas.

    One morning we awoke to total darkness at 5 o’clock. As we rushed through a town with cameras in hand, I noticed the calm, gentle way the Nepalese people greeted the morning. One man boiled a huge pot of milk tea, and other villagers gathered around his fire, cupping their hands around small glasses of the steaming sweet mixture. It was fascinating, but not to be left behind, we joined the stream of tourists moving quickly up to the lookout point.

     The top was crowded when we arrived, but after 10 minutes of cold waiting, the assembled group gave up. “The cloud cover is too heavy,”one said. Then one by one they rushed down the hill to the next item on their sightseeing list. I was disappointed as well, but suddenly I noticed a small Nepalese boy absently playing with a stick and shooting quick glances at the clouds. He must know something we don’t, I thought. I decided to wait with him.

     The boy and I didn’t have to wait long. Moments later,a tiny stream of golden light burned through one thick cloud, then another. Rose-colored fog warmed the backs of the clouds, and suddenly the morning sun stole a glance around the side of the mountain, mile above where I’d expected it to be.

     Nothing I’d seen before prepared me for the moment the clouds withdrew with bowed heads, and the magnificent Himalayas were revealed before, around, and above me. I sat in astonishment, not breathing, not daring to look away, certain that God had placed me here at the backdoor of Earth to show me what Heaven really looks like. I certainly got the message. Never again will I rush a sunrise. I now know Nature will supply her fruits to me only when I am truly ready to receive them.

1.What does “It” in Paragraph 2 most probably imply?

A. The darkness of the town in the morning.

B. The huge pot of milk tea boiling on the fire.

C. The way the local people welcomed the day.

D. The stream of tourists rushing to the lookout point.

2.The author decided to wait with the Nepalese boy because _____.

A. she felt kind of having faith in him

B. the restless tourists disappointed her

C. that boy was praying to the sun with a magic stick

D. she had nothing more to see on her sightseeing list

3.What can be concluded from the passage?

A. Do in Rome as the Romans do.

B. God helps those who help themselves.

C. Time and tide wait for no man.

D. Fortune rewards those having patience.