School was over and I felt quite tired. I sat at the very  41 of the crowded bus because of my anxiety to get home. Sitting there makes me  42  out like a shiny coin in a pile of dull pennies.
Janie, the  43  , tries to break the uncomfortable atmosphere by striking the match of  44  .
I tried to mind my manners and  45  listen, but usually I am too busy thinking about my day. On this day,   46  , her conversation was worth listening to.
“My father’s sick,” she said to no one in particular (专门) , I could see the  47  and fear in her eyes. “What’s wrong with him?” I asked. With her eyes wet and her voice tight from  48  the tears, she answered, “Heart trouble.” Her eyes   49  as she continued. “I have already lost my mum, so I don’t think I can stand losing him.”
I was  50  . My heart ached for her. And this reminded me of the great  51  that my own mother was thrown into when her father died. I saw how hard it was, and   52  is, for her. I wouldn’t like anyone to  53  that.
Suddenly I realized Janie wasn’t only a bus driver. That was  54  her job. She had a whole world of   55  and concerns, too. I suddenly felt very  56  . I realized I had only thought of people as far as what their purposes were in my life. I paid no attention to Janie  57  she was a bus driver. I had  58  her by her job and brushed her off as unimportant.
For all I know, I’m just another person in  59  else’s world, and may not be  60 . I should not have been so selfish and self-centered. Everyone has places to go, people to see and appointment to keep. Understanding people is an art.

School was over and I felt quite tired. I sat at the very  41  of the crowded bus because of my anxiety to get home. Sitting there makes me  42  out like a shiny coin in a pile of dull pennies.

   Janie, the  43  , tries to break the uncomfortable atmosphere by striking the match of  44  .

I tried to mind my manners and  45  listen, but usually I am too busy thinking about my day. On this day,   46  , her conversation was worth listening to.

   “My father’s sick,” she said to no one in particular (专门) , I could see the  47  and fear in her eyes. “What’s wrong with him?” I asked. With her eyes wet and her voice tight from  48  the tears, she answered, “Heart trouble.” Her eyes   49  as she continued. “I have already lost my mum, so I don’t think I can stand losing him.”

I was  50  . My heart ached for her. And this reminded me of the great  51   that my own mother was thrown into when her father died. I saw how hard it was, and   52  is, for her. I wouldn’t like anyone to  53  that.

   Suddenly I realized Janie wasn’t only a bus driver. That was  54  her job. She had a whole world of   55  and concerns, too. I suddenly felt very  56  . I realized I had only thought of people as far as what their purposes were in my life. I paid no attention to Janie  57  she was a bus driver. I had  58  her by her job and brushed her off as unimportant.

   For all I know, I’m just another person in  59  else’s world, and may not be  60 . I should not have been so selfish and self-centered. Everyone has places to go, people to see and appointment to keep. Understanding people is an art.

1.A. front         B. end              C. side            D. middle

2.A. find          B. take             C. think            D. stand3.A. doctor        B. driver             C. teacher          D. assistant

4.A. fire          B. topic            C. conversation     D. discussion

5.A. politely      B. slightly             C. carelessly           D. partly

6.A. however        B. therefore            C. instead         D. otherwise

7.A. surprise      B. worry            C. curiosity            D. anger

8.A. fighting      B. turning          C. clearing        D. protecting

9.A. opened         B. shone            C. closed           D. lowered

10.A. recognized        B. worried          C. shocked          D. excited

11.A. victory           B. pain             C. respect              D. disappointment

12.A. away          B. seldom           C. still                D. never

13.A. pick up           B. work out         C. go through      D. get down

14.A. almost            B. nearly           C. ever             D. just

15.A. family            B. bus              C. school          D. friend

16.A. selfish           B. desperate        C. pessimistic          D. ridiculous

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

18.A. blamed        B. received         C. considered       D. judged

19.A. everyone          B. anyone           C. someone          D. nobody

20.A. happy             B. wise             C. useful           D. important

Some years ago I was offered a writing assignment that would require three months of travel through Europe. I had been abroad a couple of times，but I could hardly claim to know my way around the continent. Moreover, my knowledge of foreign languages was limited to a little college French.

I hesitated. How would I, unable to speak the language, totally unfamiliar with local geography or transportation systems, set up interviews and do research? It seemed impossible, and with considerable regret. I sat down to write a letter begging off. Halfway through, a thought ran through my mind： you can't learn if you don't try. So I accepted the assignment.

There were some bad moments. But by the time I had finished the trip I was an experienced traveler. And ever since，I have never hesitated to head for even the most remote of places，without guides or even advanced bookings, confident that somehow I will manage.

The point is that the new, the different, is almost scary by definition. But each time you try something, you learn, and as the learning piles up, the world opens to you.

I've learned to ski at 40, and flown up the Rhine River in a balloon. And I know I'll go on doing such things. It's not because I'm braver or more daring than others. I'm not. But I'll accept anxiety as another name for challenge and I believe I can accomplish wonders.

56. The author accepted the assignment because _____

A. he had never travelled abroad before

B. he hardly knew any foreign languages

C. he was familiar with any other country in Europe

D. he would learn something new and different by trying

57. Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A. The author had been abroad only twice.

B. The author thought the trip was hard but worthwhile.

C. The author admitted that anything different was terrible.

D. The author must be good at doing research and making interviews.

58. We can infer from the text that the author is  _____.

A. awkward                     B. generous                   C. stubborn                   D. brave

59. What's the best title of the text?

A. An Interesting Trip Abroad                                B. My First Writing Assignment

C. Ready to Try and Challenge                               D. How to Be Daring and Brave

　　　 How can you help kids cope with (应对) stress? Proper rest and good nutrition can boost coping skills, so can good parenting. Make time for your kids each day. Whether they need to talk or just be in the same room with you, make yourself available.

　　　 Even as kids get older, quality time is important. It’s really hard for some people to come home after work, get down on the floor, and play with their kids or just talk to them about their day — especially if they’ve had a stressful day themselves. But expressing interest in you kids shows that they’ve important to you.

　　　 Help your child cope with stress by talking about what may be causing it. Together, you can come up with a few solutions. For example, he should cut back on after-school activities, spending more time talking with parents or teachers, developing an exercise plan or keeping a journal.

　　　 You can also help by predicting potentially stressful situations and preparing kids for them. For example, let a child know ahead of time (but not too far ahead of time) that a doctor’s appointment is coming up and talk about what will happen there. Keep in mind, though, that younger kids probably won’t need too much advance preparation. Too much information can cause more stress.

Remember that some level of stress is normal; let kids know that it’s OK to feel angry, scared, lonely, or anxious and that other people share those feelings.

When kids can’t or won’t discuss these issues, try talking about your own concerns. This shows that you’re willing to handle tough topics and are available to talk with when they’re ready. If a child shows symptoms (症状) that concern you and is unwilling to talk, consult a counselor or other mental health experts.

Most parents have the skills to deal with their children’s stress. The time to seek professional attention is when any change in behavior persists, when stress is causing serious anxiety, or when the behavior is causing significant problems in functioning at school or at home.

56.What is the purpose of the text?

A、To share the author’s ideas on proper parenting.

B、To persuade parents to spend more time with kids.

C、To advise parents how to help kids deal with stress.

D、To seek different ways to help solve kids’ problems.

57. What makes it difficult for parents to spare quality time for kids?

A、Kids growing so fast.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B、Parents being tired out.

C、Kids losing interest in parents.　　　　　　　　　　 D、There being too much homework.

58. You are advised not to talk too much about a stressful situation in advance because _______.

A、it does no good to your kids　　　　　　　　　　　　 B、it doesn’t work in practice

C、your kinds may lose interest　　　　　　　　　　　　 D、your kids don’t want to listen

59. What can we learn from Paragraph 5?

A、Normal people share the same feelings.

B、It is normal for kids to have some stress.

C、Kids should get rid of the negative feelings.

D、Everybody feels angry, scared, lonely or anxious.

60. The underlined word “counselor” in Paragraph 6 probably refers to _______.

   Anne Whitney, a sophomore (大学二年级学生) at Colorado State University, first had a problem taking tests when she began college. "I was always well prepared for my tests. Sometimes I studied for weeks before a test. Yet I would go in to take the test, only to find I could not answer the questions correctly. I would blank out because of nervousness and fear. I couldn't think of the answer. My low grades on the tests did not show what I knew to the teacher. “Another student in biology had similar experiences. He said, "My first chemistry test was very difficult. Then, on the second test, I sat down to take it, and I was so nervous that I was shaking. My hands were moving up and down so quickly that it was hard to hold my pencil. I knew the material and I knew the answers. Yet I couldn't even write them down!"

　　These two young students were experiencing something called test anxiety. Because a student worries and is uneasy about a test, his or her mind does not work as well as it usually does. The student cannot write or think clearly because of the extreme tension and nervousness. Contrary to people’s common belief that poor grades are often a result of poor study habits, sometimes test anxiety plays a role in students’ achieving low grades. Recently, test anxiety has been recognized as a real problem, not just an excuse or a false explanation of lazy students.

　　Special university advising courses try to help students. In these courses, advisors try to help students by teaching them how to manage test anxiety. At some universities, students take tests to measure their anxiety. If the tests show their anxiety is high, the students can take short courses to help them deal with their tensions. These courses teach students how to relax their bodies. Students are trained to become calm in very tense situations. By controlling their nervousness, they can let their minds work at ease. Learned information then comes out without difficulty on a test.

　　An expert at the University of California explains, " With almost all students, relaxation and less stress are felt after taking our program. Most of them experience better control during their tests. Almost all have some improvement. With some, the improvement is very great. "

56. To "blank out" is probably______.

　　A. to be like a blanket                  B. to be sure of an answer

　　C. to be unable to think clearly           D. to show knowledge to the teacher

57. Poor grades are usually believed to be the result of______.

　　A. poor sleeping habit                  B. laziness

　　C. test anxiety                        D. inability to form good study habits

58. Test anxiety has been recognized as______.

　　A. an excuse for laziness                B. the result of poor study habits

　　C. a real problem                      D. something that cannot be changed

59. A University of California advisor said______.

　　A. all students could overcome the anxiety after taking a special test anxiety program

　　B. almost all students felt less stress after taking a University of California advising course

　　C. students found it difficult to improve even though they had taken a special test anxiety course

　　D. students found it easy to relax as soon as they entered a University of California advising course