A morning rarely began so perfect. I took in the fresh air and felt my heart run into an enthusiastic rhythm. Though cool, the sun warmed my back as it rose over the horse from not far from my house. The slightest wind danced on my skin. Just enough to keep a runner form overheating. My ever-faithful jogging partner, a black dog named Nika pulled my leg with her mouth, mirroring my eagerness to start our run.

We raced forward with determination, ready to leap tall buildings and race against speeding trains. We pushed harder and ran faster, demonstration our skill and impressing passing motorists and neighbors.

We kept on running until we hit the Beast, a name for a very difficult, nearly two-mile long steep climb.

Only a few paces into the Beast, I gasped for air. Far short of superhero status, my enthusiasm and active steps were lost somewhere at the base of the hill. A vision of the newspaper and a cup of coffee waiting in my kitchen appeared, attracting me to turn back toward home.

With a glance I noticed Nika wasn’t doing any better. She continued to faithfully follow me, putting one paw in front of the other, but without her former eagerness. Her tiredness touched me. And in that moment, I felt a sudden spark of renewed determination to press on. I couldn’t allow this mountain to get the better of us. To improve both our spirits, I managed to shout, “Good girl, Nika! Keep going…you can do it!”

“I’m encouraging a dog, for heaven’s sake!’’ I needed to pull myself together. With a few simple words, I changed our course. One moment we were on the edge of quitting. The next, our feet picked up the pace and we continued. Though tired and discouraged myself, with a few kind words I impacted a dog’s ability to go further. I’m sure I could have completed the opposite with ill-chosen comments and an unpleasant tone. Instead, the Beast was defeated and we flew like heroes the rest of the way home.

Life is full of beasts to conquer. For some, it is the seemingly impossible climb of cancer. For others, their beast takes the shape of parenting a child or a teenager. Uphill climbs come in all shapes and sizes, common only in their ability to defeat, discourage and tempt tired travelers to quit. Sometimes all that’s needed is a few spoken, well-timed words of encouragement from a fellow runner – someone who sees the struggle, dares to jogs alongside, and cares enough to say, “Keep going! You can do it! You’re not alone. I believe in you!”

The writer starts the text by describing________.

A. the beautiful scene of the morning  

B. his or her preparations for a jogging

C. a lively dog named Nika

D. the growth of crops at the farm

The writer mentioned the newspaper and coffee to suggest that he or she _______.

A. liked reading newspapers while drinking coffee

B. had an intention to give up running

C. would treat himself or herself to coffee after running

D. might appear on the newspaper for the long running

The writer decided to continue running _______.

A. after he or she found the dog was still energetic

B. because they came near the top of the hill

C. when he or she noticed the tired dog

D. before they arrived at the bottom of the hill

What does the writer expect to show by telling the story?

A. Words are powerful than deeds.

B. Beasts in life aren’t easily to conquer.

C. Dogs are the best friend of humans.

D. Try it one more time before giving up.

When I was young,my parents ran a snack bar in our small town.

One evening in early April,my mother told me to fill in at the snack bar 36　 a worker who had the flu.I told her I would mess it up, 37 I had never worked at the bar before.I 　38　

that instead of making money,I would end up owing it.

“You can do it,”said my mother.“　 39　 ,you won’t get much business until lunch.”

“But I’ll never remember the orders,and I’m no good ___40_ money.Please,Mom,don’t

　 41　 me.”

“Then I’ll help you,”she said.

I shrugged my shoulders.I thought my mother’s　　 42　　 was a bad one,but I 　　 43　　 .

When I got to the bar the next day,I found my mother was　 44　 .Because the weather that day was rainy and cold,people wanted hot snacks and drinks.　 45　 ,I was really slow at taking the orders and making change.The line of people grew,and everybody seemed　 46　 .I was so nervous that my hands shook,and I 　 47 a cup into pieces.What a mess!Then my mother came to　 48 me,and she also showed me how to make　 49　 .If someone gave me $5 for something that cost $3.25,I handed over　 50　 quarters and a dollar and said,“75 cents makes four dollars,plus one dollar makes five.”Things went more　 51　 after that.

By the end of the day,I could remember orders,　 52　 the bill,and make change quickly with a smile.I was even a little　 53　 when the sun came out and dried up business.My mother said she was proud of me,and when she　 54　 that I work at the snack bar again next year,I did not even shrug.I was too busy　 55　 the restaurant I would open one day.

36.A.to　　　　　　　　　　　　 B.for　　　　　　　　　　 C.after　　　　　　　　　　　　 D.over

37.A.because　　　　　　　 B.though　　　　　　　 C.until　　　　　　　　　　　　 D.while

38.A.promised　　　　　　　　　　 B.noticed　　　　　　　 C.worried　　　　　　　　　　 D.hoped

39.A.Therefore　　　　　　 B.However　　　　　 C.Besides　　　　　　　　　　 D.Yet

40.A.of　　　　　　　　　　　 B.on　　　　　　　　　　 C.about　　　　　　　　　　　 D.with

41.A.blame　　　　　　　　　 B.fool　　　　　　　　　 C.frighten　　　　　　　　　　 D.make

42.A.idea　　　　　　　　　　 B.bar　　　　　　　　　　 C.day　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D.answer

43.A.guessed　　　　　　　 B.obeyed　　　　　　　 C.begged　　　　　　　　　　 D.admitted

44.A.angry　　　　　　　　　 B.sad　　　　　　　　　 C.wrong　　　　　　　　　　　 D.ashamed

45.A.At least　　　　　　　　 B.At last　　　　　　　 C.At most　　　　　　　　　　 D.At first

46.A.surprised　　　　　　　　　　 B.impolite　　　　　　 C.pleased　　　　　　　　　　 D.impatient

47.A.damaged　　　　　　　 B.destroyed　　　　　 C.broke　　　　　　　　　　　 D.ruined

48.A.scold　　　　　　　　　 B.help　　　　　　　　　 C.beat　　　　　　　　　　　　 D.save

49.A.money　　　　　　　　 B.lunch　　　　　　　　 C.coffee　　　　　　　　　　　 D.change

50.A.two　　　　　　　　　　 B.three　　　　　　　　 C.four　　　　　　　　　　　　 D.five

51.A.smoothly　　　　　　　　　　 B.fairly　　　　　　　　 C.simply　　　　　　　　　　　 D.conveniently

52.A.turn in　　　　　　　　 B.count out　　　　　 C.take over　　　　　　　　　 D.add up

53.A.discouraged　　　　 B.disturbed　　　　　 C.disappointed　　　　　　 D.distrusted

54.A.thought　　　　　　　　 B.stated　　　　　　　　 C.announced　　　　　　　　 D.suggested

55.A.imagining　　　　　　 B.preparing　　　　　 C.examining　　　　　　　　 D.describing

After getting married I moved to a flat. I felt pretty comfortable living there 16 something strange happened. I had a doll on the windowsill (窗台) facing the living room. One day, I came back home from work and found it was facing the window 17 . I thought it was my husband who played a 　18 on me, but he did not admit. I 19 the doll to face the living room again.

The next day, the 20 thing happened. But this time, my husband was so 21 that I believed he had not done that. There was no 　22 of anyone breaking into the house while we were away. And there was no reason to 　23 that someone stole into the house just to turn the doll and left. What happened not only 　24 us but also frightened us.

The doll kept turning every day 　25 Saturdays and Sundays when I was at home. I began to wonder if there was a ghost.

Then 　26 a school holiday, and I didn’t go to work. While exercising in the living room, I 27 the doll was turning by itself! It was very frightening but I 28 knew why it was turning. There was a construction site right next to the building where I 　29 . The construction was at the stage of pile driving (打桩) and our building shook 　30 with each pounding (重击). 31 I lived on the top floor, the shaking was quite strong. 　32 , the doll moved little by little with the shaking. This also 33 why the doll never turned on Saturdays and Sundays, 34 there was no construction work at weekends. If I had not been home on a weekday, I would never have 35 the truth.

【小题1】A. after　　　 　 　　　　 B. as　　　　　　 　　 　 C. once　 　 　　　　　　 D. until

【小题2】A. already　 　 　　　　 B. indeed 　　 　　　　　 C. instead　　　 　 　　　　　　 D. though

【小题3】A. trick　　　 　　　　　 B. part　　　　　 　　　　　 C. danger　　　　　　 　　　　　　 D. role

【小题4】A. changed　 　 　　　　 B. forced　　　 　　　　　 C. pushed　　　 　 　　　 D. turned

【小题5】A. other　　　　　　 　 B. same　　　　 　　　　　 C. whole　　　 　　　　　　 D. opposite

【小题6】A. serious　 　 　　　　 B. curious　　　　　　 　 C. anxious　　　　　　 　　　 D. nervous

【小题7】A. chance　 　 　　　　 B. need　　　　　 　　　　　 C. sign　　　　　　　　 　　　 D. way

【小题8】A. admit　　　　　　 　 B. think　　　　 　　　　　 C. expect 　 　　　　　　 D. worry

【小题9】A. confused 　 　　　　 B. excited　　　　　　 　 C. warned　　　　　　 　　　 D. interested

【小题10】A. including　　　 　 B. besides　　　　　　 　 C. without　　　　　　 　　　 D. except

【小题11】A. appeared　　　 　 B. came　　　　 　　　　　 C. existed　　　　　　 　　　　　　 D. passed

【小题12】A. decided 　 　　　　 B. remembered　　　 　 C. noticed　　　　　　 　　　 D. hoped

【小题13】A. immediately 　　 B. particularly 　　　　　　 C. originally　 　　　　　　 D. secretly

【小题14】A. worked 　 　　　　 B. exercised　 　　　　　 C. moved　　　　　　 　　　　　　 D. lived

【小题15】A. quickly 　 　　　　 B. strongly　　　　　　 　 C. slowly　　　 　　　　　　 D. slightly

【小题16】A. When　　　　　 　 B. Since　　　　 　　　　　 C. Though　　 　 　　　 D. Unless

【小题17】A. By chance　　 　 B. Above all　 　　　　　 C. As a result 　　　　　　 D. In the end

【小题18】A. explained　　　 　 B. discussed　 　　　　　 C. described　 　 　　　 D. suggested

【小题19】A. or　　　　 　 　　　　 B. if　　　　　　　 　　　　　 C. for　　　　　　 　 　　　 D. so

【小题20】A. looked into　　　　　 B. found out　　　　 　　　 C. picked up　 　　　　　 D. searched for

After a long day at school, I walked home with my heavy schoolbag . By the time I got home, I was sweaty,  16 and hungry. I threw my things on the couch and grabbed something from the kitchen to  17 . I passed by the living room and wished I could watch TV , but I knew my  18   would take me the whole night. I grabbed my schoolbag and went  19 to my room, feeling defeated. I tried to understand chemistry and  20 sleepiness at the same time. I was stressed out and  21 . I wanted something to cheer me up .
Later in the evening , I  22 the sound of the front door opening. And I waited for it—the sound of my mom singing .  23 she sings off-key (跑调), it made me excited that she was here. I ran down the stairs to greet my mom. We  24 and I ran back upstairs to do homework again. I like it when my mom was happy. Her  25 flowed down to me and I got the strength to  26  the stress again.
Sometimes, I wonder how my mom can still be  27 after coming back from work. Every weekday, she wakes up  28 in the morning to go to work and spends an hour on the bus before getting downtown . At a  29 factory, she works standing for the whole day and draws patterns for clothes over and over. After work, she gets stuck in  30 for two hours on her way back home. When I  31 my school life with her work life, I should not be the one to  32 . At least I have some fun things to do at school, while one mistake at work can cost my mom her job. I  33   that my mom has a positive attitude and lives her life with a joyous heart even though there may be   34 . Seeing her happy makes me feel  35 , too.

After forty-three years I have forgotten the name of the old lady, who was a   16   on the newspaper route in my hometown when I was a twelve-year-old boy. Yet it remains in my memory that she taught me a lesson in     17   that I shall never forget.
On a winter afternoon, my fellows and I were throwing stones onto the slanted (倾斜的) roof of the old lady’s house to observe how the stones    18    off the roof’s edge and shot out like missiles. I found a   19   smooth rock and threw it out, but it  20  straight not for the roof but for a small window of the old lady’s house.   21   the sound of broken glass, we knew we were in trouble. We ran faster than any of our   22    flew off her roof.
I was so   23   about getting caught that first night   24   I was not concerned about the old lady with the broken window in winter.    25  , a few days later I started to feel guilty for her misfortune. She    26   greeted me with a smile when I gave her the newspaper, but I was no longer able to act    27   in her presence.
I    28   my mind that I would save my newspaper delivery money, and in three weeks I had seven dollars. I put the money in an envelop with a    29   explaining that I was sorry for breaking her window and hope that the seven dollars would    30   the cost for repairing it.
I waited until it was     31     to avoid being seen, and put the letter I didn’t    32   into her yard. To my relief, I could have the   33  of, once again, looking straight into the old lady’s kind eyes.
The next day, I handed the old lady her newspaper. She thanked me and gave me a bag of cookies she had made herself.   34  eating cookies, I felt an envelope and pulled it out of the bag. After opening it, I was shocked. Inside were the seven dollars and a short note    35  , “I’m proud of you.”