How do you feel about watching other people work?

Nothing is more refreshing on a warm summer day than watching someone else work.

Right now, I’m sitting on my porch and watching young Beth baling（打捆）the big field on top of the hill. She’s been haying that field for over ten years. I know: I put her on the tractor when she was just twelve years old.

She picked a great day for baling. It’s not too hot, and there’s a nice breeze. On Monday, when she cut the field, it was so hot I thought the corn would start popping in the field. Didn’t stop her, though. She just stuck that big hat on her head, wrapped a wet handkerchief around her neck, and set to work. I remember when I would have done the same thing.

While I’m here sucking a lemonade, Beth is driving the “hay(干草) train,” a tractor pulling a baler and an old wagon. You’d think someone her size would never be able to see over the tractor. But somehow she manages. When she’s finished, her tracks are very straight.

The whole time she’s haying, that dog of hers is working just as hard, running along beside her like he’s afraid she’ll drive away without him. Beth sure knew what she was doing when she trained him.

The way the machine works is pure poetry. Each row is pushed into shape. When just enough hay is in a bale, it is wrapped up and fastened together. A second or so later, the bale comes flying out and into the old wagon. The person who invented that machine sure was some kind of genius.

That’s not to say it works perfectly. Every once in a while a bale misses the mark, especially when you are turning the machine at the end of a row. That means, of course, that you have to go back and pick up those bales and throw them into the wagon.

I can remember when Beth’s mother was her age. She looked an awful lot like Beth does now. Makes a man proud to see his daughter and granddaughter taking such good care of themselves.

Well, I suppose I should get up and fill this glass again. Not much fun sitting here with an empty glass.

56. We can learn from the passage that at some time in the past the author ______.

　 A. bought the tractor for Beth　　 　　　　　　　　　　 B. forced Beth to work at an early age

　 C. worked in the field like Beth　　　　　　 D. trained the dog to help Beth work

57. In the eyes of the author, the sight of Beth baling hay is _______.

　 A. uncommon　　　 B. beautiful　　　　 C. unforgettable　　　 D. changeable　　　

58. Before thrown into the wagon, the hay must be _______.

A. tied up　　　　　 B. dried up　　　　　 C. cut up　　　　　　 D. lined up　

59. Who do you think is telling this story?

A. Beth’s mother.　　 B. Beth’s father. 　　 C. Beth’s grandmother. 　 D. Beth’s grandfather.

"Everything happens for the best," my mother said whenever I faced disappointment. "If you carry on, one day something good will happen. And you'll realize that it wouldn't have happened without that previous disappointment."

Mother was right, as I discovered after graduating from college in 1932. I had decided to try for a job in radio, then work my way up to sports announcer. I hitchhiked（搭便车）to Chicago and knocked on the door of every station and got turned down every time.

In one studio, a kind lady told me that big stations couldn't risk hiring an inexperienced person. "Go out in the sticks and find a small station that'll give you a chance," she said.

So I returned to my hometown--Dixon, Illinois. While there was no radio-announcing jobs in Dixon, my father said Montgomery Ward had opened a store and wanted a local athlete to manage its sports department. The job sounded just right for me. But I wasn't hired.

My disappointment must have shown. "Everything happens for the best," Mom reminded me. I tried WOC Radio in Davenport, Iowa. The program director named Peter MacArthur told me they had already hired an announcer.

As I left his office, my frustration boiled over. I asked aloud, "How can a fellow get to be a sports announcer if he can't get a job in a radio station?"

I was waiting for the elevator when I heard MacArthur calling, "What was that you said about sports? Do you know anything about football?" Then he asked me to broadcast an imaginary game before a microphone.

On my way home, as I have many times since, I thought of my mother's words. I often wonder what direction my life might have taken if I'd gotten the job at Montgomery Ward.

60. What would be the best title for the passage?

A. No pains, no gains.               B. All roads lead to Rome

C. Practice makes perfect       D. Where there is a will, there is a way.    

61. According to the passage, the author     .

A. managed to get a job at Montgomery Ward.

B. found a job in Chicago after graduation from college.

C. finally worked as a sports announcer at WOC Radio in Davenport.

D. thought he had to find other jobs first if he wanted to be a sports annoucer.

62. Who is most likely to affect him in finding the job?

A. his father    B. his mother     C. a kind lady.    D. Peter MacArthur

63. The underlined sentence in Paragraph 6 probably means the author     .

A. felt calm   B. felt confused    C. became stressed     D. became mad

Nothing is more refreshing on a warm summer day than watching someone else work.

Right now, I’m sitting on my porch and watching young Beth baling（打捆）the big field on top of the hill. She’s been haying that field for over ten years. I know: I put her on the tractor when she was just twelve years old.

She picked a great day for baling. It’s not too hot, and there’s a nice breeze. On Monday, when she cut the field, it was so hot I thought the corn would start popping in the field. Didn’t stop her, though. She just stuck that big hat on her head, wrapped a wet handkerchief around her neck, and set to work. I remember when I would have done the same thing.

While I’m here sucking a lemonade, Beth is driving the “hay(干草) train,” a tractor pulling a baler and an old wagon. You’d think someone her size would never be able to see over the tractor. But somehow she manages. When she’s finished, her tracks are very straight.

The whole time she’s haying, that dog of hers is working just as hard, running along beside her like he’s afraid she’ll drive away without him. Beth sure knew what she was doing when she trained him.

The way the machine works is pure poetry. Each row is pushed into shape. When just enough hay is in a bale, it is wrapped up and fastened together. A second or so later, the bale comes flying out and into the old wagon. The person who invented that machine sure was some kind of genius.

That’s not to say it works perfectly. Every once in a while a bale misses the mark, especially when you are turning the machine at the end of a row. That means, of course, that you have to go back and pick up those bales and throw them into the wagon.

I can remember when Beth’s mother was her age. She looked an awful lot like Beth does now. Makes a man proud to see his daughter and granddaughter taking such good care of themselves.

Well, I suppose I should get up and fill this glass again. Not much fun sitting here with an empty glass.

63. We can learn from the passage that at some time in the past the author ______.

　 A. bought the tractor for Beth　　 　　　　　　　　　　 B. forced Beth to work at an early age

　 C. worked in the field like Beth　　　　　　 D. trained the dog to help Beth work

64. In the eyes of the author, the sight of Beth baling hay is _______.

　 A. uncommon　　　 B. beautiful　　　　 C. unforgettable　　　 D. changeable　　　

65 Before thrown into the wagon, the hay must be _______.

A. tied up　　　　　 B. dried up　　　　　 C. cut up　　　　　　 D. lined up　

66. Who do you think is telling this story?

A. Beth’s mother. B. Beth’s father.　　　

C. Beth’s grandmother.　 D.Beth’s grandfather.

“Can I see my baby?” asked the happy new mother. The bundle （婴儿包）was placed in her arms and when she moved the fold of cloth to look upon his tiny face, she gasped—the baby had been born without ears. Time, however, proved that the baby’s hearing was perfect except his appearance.

One day when he rushed home from school and threw himself into his mother’s arms, he cried out bitterly, “A boy, a big boy … called me — a f-…freak.” She sighed, knowing that his life was to be endless of heartbreaks.

He grew up, handsome for his misfortune. A favorite with his fellow students, he might have been class president, but for that. He developed a gift for literature and music.

The boy’s father had a talk with the family doctor. Could nothing be done? “I believe we could graft（移植）on a pair of outer ears, if they could be donated,” the doctor decided. So the search began for a person who would make such a sacrifice for a young man. Two years went by. Then, “You’re going to the hospital, son. Mother and I have someone who will donate the ears you need. But it’s a secret.” said the father.

The operation was a brilliant success. His talents blossomed into genius. School and college became a series of successes. Later he married and entered the diplomatic service. “But I must know!” he urged his father. “Who gave so much for me? I could never do enough for him.” “I do not believe you could,” said the father, “but the agreement was that you are not to know … not yet.” The years kept the secret, but the day did come … one of the darkest days that ever pass through a son. He stood with his father over his mother’s casket（棺材）. Slowly and tenderly, the father stretched forth a hand and raised the thick, reddish-brown hair to let out the secret.

The story is mainly about _______.

A. how a boy had new ears through an operation

B. what a devoted parent privately did for the child

C. how a disabled boy turned into a useful person

D. why a donator made a sacrifice to a bright boy

The underlined word “freak” in Paragraph 2 is the closest in meaning to “_______”.

A. slow-acting person          B. good-looking child

C. badly-behaved student       D. strangely-shaped creature

What can be inferred from the passage?

A. The agreement was between the donator and the family.

B. The boy was so popular that he was made class president.

C. Finally the boy came to know who the donator was.

D. The mother donated her ears to her son after she died.

What moral lesson can we draw from this reading?

A. Real love lies in what is done unknown rather than what is done known.

B. It is up to parents to help their children heart and soul.

C. True beauty lies only in the heart not in appearance.

D. It is a virtue（美德）for young generations to learn to be grateful.

This is a true story about two friends.
One day a young man said to his good friend, "I can see that some day you will become great and rich." His friend laughed, "Ridiculous! How can you know that?" The first said, "Yes, I can see it from your forehead." The second one said, "Ok, if I become great and rich, I will give you 10,000 rupees." The first friend asked. "Really? If so, then write it down."
The second one really wrote it down. The first man kept the note, but he never took his friend seriously. The agreement was made as a joke. 10 or 12 years later, the friend did become rich and great, while the other remained poor. By that time both friends had separated and were leading their own lives. Even so, the poor friend still preserved the note, although he felt that since it was a joke, he would never receive the money.
Quite unexpectedly, the poor man fell seriously ill. Just before he died, he took out the agreement and called his son, who was only seven years old, "My son, there is something very precious that I have kept for you. After I die…you go to this man and show him what he has written."
Soon the man died. Their friendship had faded so much that the rich man did not even come to see him before he left this world. But after three or four weeks' time the son took the note to the rich man. The boy gave the rich man the note. The rich man read it and asked, "Did I write this?"
The boy said, “I do not know. My father asked me to give it to you before he died." The rich man summoned one of his secretaries and explained, "I promised this boy's father many years ago that I would give him 10,000 rupees if I became rich and great. I have been rich for seven years; please calculate how much interest I have to give him in addition to the 10,000 rupees."
The secretary told him, "An additional 7,000 rupees, which makes it 17,000 altogether."
The rich man immediately issued a check for 17,000 rupees and gave it to the little boy, saying, "Take this directly to your mother.”
This is how a sincere man kept his promise.
56. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
A. The first friend can know others’ future from his or her forehead.
B. The second friend couldn’t believe his friend’s words at first.
C. The first friend wished his friend to help his son after he died.
D. The second didn’t come to see his dying friend because of different life.
57. What do you think of the man who became rich later?
A. He had a bad memory.
B. He is very selfish and unwilling to help others.
C. He is mean with his money.
D. He is a man who keeps his promise.
58. What can be inferred from the passage?
A. The poor friend preserved the note because he knew he would get the money sooner or later.
B. The man became rich 3 or 5 years later after he signed the agreement.
C. The rich man gave the boy 17,000 rupees altogether.
D. The little boy knew something about his father’s story.