When my parents were alive，they were not very rich．Yet they helped their two older     time after time．When Daddy passed away，his notebook showed debts      from several of his children．I was not among them．I      borrowed money and when I did，I set a repayment plan and     to it．It was a matter of       with me．I couldn’t stand owing my parents-or anyone else-mmoney because I watched them     to help out my older sisters when they were in financial difficulties themselves．

These days，after the death of my parents，I am one of those people who can be      to for help when they need it．Just as I can’t stand     other people money，I can’t stand saying no to whoever needs help．I don’t     helping others，but I would be more than glad if they would make a(n)     to handle things themselves，perhaps by doing some     planning-like planning not to speend money they don’t have!

Being ready to help others is a     ，but sometimes the result will be     to what you expect．I     remember as a child what my father always said， “If at first you don’t succeed，try，try again!” Helping my children too often has     them from learning to keep trying．Use your    ：who among my children will     to walk if I supply the money to buy a car? Helped often，my children lost gradually the ability to     problems themselves．

    In most       ，when people find you can      help，they will ask you more and more．That's human，you know．

1.A．sons       B．daughters      C．brothers      D．sisters

2.A．absent     B．apart       C．due     D．different

3.A．always     B．seldom     C．often    D．never

4.A．stuck      B．attached    C．agreed   D．belonged

5.A．pleasure    B．courage    C．pride    D．sorrow

6.A．struggle    B．happen     C．intend   D．move

7.A．referred    B．turned      C．seen    D．attended

8.A．cheating    B．donating    C．1ending D．owing

9.A．enjoy      B．mind       C．1ike    D．miss

10.A．comment   B．mess       C．excuse   D．effort

11.A．financial   B．flexible     C．typical   D．particular

12.A．deed      B．deal        C．virtue    D．task

13.A．contrary   B．essential    C．potential  D．necessary

14.A．can       B．may       C．shall      D．must

15.A．banned    B．protected   C．prevented  D．freed

16.A．aHn      B．leg        C．body      D．head

17.A．wait      B．urge       C．threat     D．choose

18.A．solve     B．assess     C．seek       D．analyse

19.A．affairs    B．choices    C．cases      D．events

20.A．obtain    B．attain     C．provide     D．prefer

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Reading can provide lots of fun for children and teens during summer vacation. Children who read during the summer are better prepared for school when they return to classes in the fall. Public libraries throughout Wisconsin will host summer events to encourage children and young adults to include reading in their summer fun.

●All Star Readers

The Milwaukee Public Library will host its 2007 Summer Reading Club for kids from 3 to 18. Signing up starts on June 1 at all Milwaukee public libraries and bookmobile sites.

Children aged 6 to 12 are invited to become “All Star Readers” at the Milwaukee library when they sign up for the Summer Reading Club. Children can score a point by reading 10 books or 1,000 pages. When they reach the reading goal, they will win a bag full of prizes.

●Sparkey Spots the Ball

Children up to 5 years old can join the read-to-me club, “Sparkey Spots the Ball”. They will receive their own reading folders（文件夹）to record the books read to them by parents, brothers and sisters or relatives. Once they have listened to 20 books, they will win a baseball and a coupon（优惠券）for McDonald’s ice cream.

●X-treme Read

Teens between the age of 13 and 18 can join in their own reading program called “X-treme Read”. Teens can read to win movie passes, CDs and more.

The library also plans extreme bike races by C4BMX at four libraries in June and July. Check with your local library or Milwaukee Journal Sentinel for the exact dates, times, and places of the demonstrations (集会).

63. Students who take part in the reading club can _________.

A. take part in extreme bike races

B. get a good mark in the final exam

C. get better prepared for the new term

D. finish their homework ahead of time

64. In order to become “All Star Readers” and win a lot of prizes, you _________.

A. should be 18 years old

B. should be at least five years old

C. must read at least 1,000 pages or 10 books

D. just need to sign up at the Milwaukee library

65. Which of the following is TRUE according to this passage?

A. Children up to 5 might win a baseball or an ice cream.

B. Teens who have listened to books might win movie tickets.

C. The public libraries only allow children to read in the reading club.

D. Students who want to read can sign up at any public library at Milwaukee.

66. If you are a 17-year-old student who wants to win some prizes, you can take part in _________.

A. 2007 Summer Reading Club                B. X-treme Read  

C. Sparkey Spots the Ball                      D. All Star Readers

D

An “apple-polisher” is one who gives gifts to win friendship or special treatment. It is not exactly a bribe（贿赂）, but is close to it.

“Apple-polishing” is as old as human society, but the phrase itself is recent, about 50 years old. It comes from the schoolroom. For a long time, some schoolboys would leave a shiny（有光泽的，发光的） apple on the teacher’s desk. They would rub and polish the apple to give it a bright shine, so as to make it look more tasty. Such a gift, the students hoped, might make the teacher shut her eyes to their poor work and give them a good mark.

All sorts of people are apple-polishers, including politicians and people in high offices—almost everybody.

There are other phrases meaning the same thing as “apple-polishing”— “soft-soaping” or “buttering-up”. A gift is just one way to “soft-soap” somebody, or to “butter him up”.

Another way that is just as effective as apple-polishing is flattery, giving someone high praise — telling him how good he looks, or how well he speaks, or how wise he is. Flattery, of course, is the cheapest kind of “apple polishing”.

To flatter another costs you nothing and you can give it as freely as you want. And you can always find somebody eagerly looking for it.

53. An “apple-polisher” is one who ________.

A. tries to please someone to get favor   

B. bribes with money to get something

C. is really friendly to everyone around him

D. plants apple trees and polishes his apples every day

54. Why did the students polish the apple for their teacher?

A. They hoped that she would not pay attention to them.

B. They didn’t want her to wash the apple by herself.

C. They wished to draw her attention.

D. They longed for her giving them a good mark.  

55. According to the passage, the cheapest way to please someone is ________.

A. to flatter him                                               B. to bribe him

C. to talk freely with him                             D. to play jokes on him

56. The author seems to suggest that ________.

A. nobody likes to be flattered                    B. very few people apple-polish others

C. apple-polishing is a kind of bribe            D. many people like to be soft-soaped

An “apple polisher” is one who gives gifts to win friendship or special treatment. It is not exactly a bribe(贿赂),but is close to it.
All sorts of people are apple polishers, including politicians and people in high offices ── just about everybody. Oliver Cromwell, the great English leader, offered many gifts to win the support of George Fox and his party, but failed.
There are other phrases meaning the same thing as “apple-polishing” ── “soft-soaping” or “butter-up”. A gift is just one way to “soft-soap” somebody, or to “butter him up”. Another that is just as effective is flattery, giving someone high praise ── telling him how good he looks, or how well he speaks, or how talented and wise he is.
Endless are the ways of flattery. Who does not love or hear it ? Only an unusual man can resist the thrill of being told how wonderful he is. In truth, flattery is good medicine for most of us, who gets so little of it.
We need it to be more sure of ourselves. It cannot hurt unless we get carried away by it. But we just lap it up for its food value and nourishment, as a cat laps up milk, then we can still remain true to ourselves.
Sometimes, however, flattery will get you nothing from one who has had too much of it. A good example is the famous 12th century legend of King Canute of Denmark and England. The king got tired of listening to the endless sickening flattery of his courtiers（朝臣）.They overpraised him to the skies, as a man of limitless power.
He decided to teach them a lesson. He took them to the seashore and sat down. Then he ordered the waves to stop coming in. The tide was too busy to listen to him. The king was satisfied. This might show his followers how weak his power was and how empty their flattery.
【小题1】Which of the following activities has nothing to do with “apple-polishing” ?

D
An “apple-polisher” is one who gives gifts to win friendship or special treatment. It is not exactly a bribe（贿赂）, but is close to it.
“Apple-polishing” is as old as human society, but the phrase itself is recent, about 50 years old. It comes from the schoolroom. For a long time, some schoolboys would leave a shiny（有光泽的，发光的） apple on the teacher’s desk. They would rub and polish the apple to give it a bright shine, so as to make it look more tasty. Such a gift, the students hoped, might make the teacher shut her eyes to their poor work and give them a good mark.
All sorts of people are apple-polishers, including politicians and people in high offices—almost everybody.
There are other phrases meaning the same thing as “apple-polishing”— “soft-soaping” or “buttering-up”. A gift is just one way to “soft-soap” somebody, or to “butter him up”.
Another way that is just as effective as apple-polishing is flattery, giving someone high praise — telling him how good he looks, or how well he speaks, or how wise he is. Flattery, of course, is the cheapest kind of “apple polishing”.
To flatter another costs you nothing and you can give it as freely as you want. And you can always find somebody eagerly looking for it.
53. An “apple-polisher” is one who ________.
A. tries to please someone to get favor   
B. bribes with money to get something
C. is really friendly to everyone around him
D. plants apple trees and polishes his apples every day
54. Why did the students polish the apple for their teacher?
A. They hoped that she would not pay attention to them.
B. They didn’t want her to wash the apple by herself.
C. They wished to draw her attention.
D. They longed for her giving them a good mark.  
55. According to the passage, the cheapest way to please someone is ________.
A. to flatter him                                               B. to bribe him
C. to talk freely with him                             D. to play jokes on him
56. The author seems to suggest that ________.
A. nobody likes to be flattered                    B. very few people apple-polish others
C. apple-polishing is a kind of bribe            D. many people like to be soft-soaped