My father died when l was a baby, and my mother had to go out to work．1 was the only(1)    ______so I had no brothers and sisters to play with at home．I used to play in the street with other children, or ride my bike down to the park，but I remember I(2)______a lot of time just sitting at home reading．We had a television，I think, but I don’t remember(3)_______ it very much．

    My grandparents lived with us and we used to do a lot of things together—I remember we played cards a lot．At the weekends, my mother always(4)________一we often went down to the sea and swam, and I(5)__________to swim when I was quite young．

    We didn’t have a car, so we went everywhere by bus．Occasionally(偶尔)，one of my uncles used to come and take us out in his car，which was a great(6)________．For holidays we always went to the seaside, but never far away—maybe a short train journey．

    My mother wasn’t very(7)_________．and I don’t remember her ever(83)______ me．In fact，I used to get my own way too much．

    I was given small pocket money because we weren’t very (9)________，and I probably spent most of it on sweets，as far as I remember--I don’t think anyone thought they were(10)____ for you then．

1．A．child           B．father               C．friend                 D．mother

2．A．used            B．kept           C．took                       D．spent

3．A．repairing          B．1istening to      C．watching             D．looking at

4．A．let me in         B．took me out      C．told me stories        D．went shopping

5．A．hated           B．learned         C．stopped               D．forgot

6．A．game           B．chance        C．pain                 D．pleasure

7．A．strict           B．kind           C．interested               D．worried

8．A．playing with      B．staying with     C．beating                D．loving

9．A．busy           B．happy           C．rich                 D．well

10．A．good           B．bad            C．important               D．delicious

People often complain they face too many problems. Every day and everywhere there are problems. Many times we find it hard to stay happy. When one problem is solved, another one comes up.

People have money problems, work problems, family problems, health problems..... the list goes on. And we usually think that people who are happy and successful are having fewer problems than us. Look at the successful people we often mention. They have money they need, they have jobs they love, they have good friends, they have obedient(孝顺的) kids, they have the successful business, they have loving families etc. Everything goes well with them. That is why they are happy and successful. But in fact, the more successful you are, the more problems you have to face. More success means more challenges they have to face, and more success means more risks they have to take.

Young and old, rich and poor, successful and unsuccessful, educated and uneducated, all have problems. The difference is that their problems are different from each other.  Rich and successful have big problems. Poor and unsuccessful have small problems. Still they all have problems which they can face. Successful people are successful just because they are ready to face challenges larger than ordinary people.

Winning the US elections(选举) makes Obama very happy. As a new US president, he has to face bigger challenges. He has to be more careful about his work he does, or he will lose his position(位置). Looking at him, we may say he is lucky, happy and successful. But, I think, as the US president, he has more pressure than an ordinary person.

1.You will be a/an ______ person if you are afraid to face more challenges.

A．ordinary          B．successful         C．famous           D．educated

2.From this article we know that President Obama ______.

A．has fewer problems                     B．was born in a rich family

C．takes more risks                        D．is a successful businessman

3.The main idea of this article is _______.

A．why poor people are always poor

B．how many problems people usually have to face

C．how lucky and happy President Obama is

D．how to deal with problems in life

People often complain they face too many problems. Every day and everywhere there are problems. Many times we find it hard to stay happy. When one problem is solved, another one comes up.

People have money problems, work problems, family problems, health problems..... the list goes on. And we usually think that people who are happy and successful are having fewer problems than us. Look at the successful people we often mention. They have money they need, they have jobs they love, they have good friends, they have obedient(孝顺的) kids, they have the successful business, they have loving families etc. Everything goes well with them. That is why they are happy and successful. But in fact, the more successful you are, the more problems you have to face. More success means more challenges they have to face, and more success means more risks they have to take.

Young and old, rich and poor, successful and unsuccessful, educated and uneducated, all have problems. The difference is that their problems are different from each other. Rich and successful have big problems. Poor and unsuccessful have small problems. Still they all have problems which they can face. Successful people are successful just because they are ready to face challenges larger than ordinary people.

Winning the US elections(选举) makes Obama very happy. As a new US president, he has to face bigger challenges. He has to be more careful about his work he does, or he will lose his position(位置). Looking at him, we may say he is lucky, happy and successful. But, I think, as the US president, he has more pressure than an ordinary person.

54. You will be a/an ______ person if you are afraid to face more challenges.

　 A. ordinary　　　 B. successful　　　　 C. famous　　　　 D. educated

55. From this article we know that President Obama ______.

　 A. has fewer problems　　　　　　　　 B. was born in a rich family

　 C. takes more risks　　　　　　　　　 D. is a successful businessman

56. The main idea of this article is _______.

　 A. why poor people are always poor

　 B. how many problems people usually have to face

C. how lucky and happy President Obama is

D. how to deal with problems in life

When buster was brought into the animals' home, he was wet and smelly. But Jimmy who worked there know what soap and water and a good brushing could do.

After a bath, Jimmy put Buster in a cage and gave him some food and fresh water.

Buster wanted a home. He wanted a family. He wanted a yard. Most of all, he wanted someone to love him.

A man came over to the cage. Buster curled up on his blanket and closed eyes. “He’s no fun,” said the man. “He’s too quiet.”

A family came along. Buster barked and barked, so they would notice him. “ He’s too noisy,” said the mother. They all walked away.

Other people passed by.

“Too furry.”

“TOO bony.”

“Don’t give up,” Jimmy said to Buster. “Someone will want you.”

Another family asked Jimmy to take Buster out of the cage. “He’s too big,” said the mother. “He might scare the baby.”

The next family came along. “He’s too small,” said the father. “He wouldn’t be a good watchdog.”

“Sorry, Buster,” said Jimmy.

At the end of the day, another family came along-a mother, father, and a boy. Buster didn’t try to book big or small. He didn’t worry about looking furry or bony. He was just plain Buster, an ordinary, brown, medium-sized dog.

The boy looked in to Buster’s brown eyes. Buster looked into the boy’s blue eyes. “Look, Mom,” he said. “This dog is just the right size for me.”

Buster went home to a family and a yard. Best of all, He went home with someone who loved him just the way he was- an ordinary, brown, medium-sized dog.

50. What did Buster get first at the animals’ home?

A. A bath.        B. A ball.       C. A rest       D. A meal.

51. What did Buster want most of all?

A. A place to play in.       B. A home to live in.     

C. A loving owner.         D. A rich keeper.

52. What does the writer want to tell us in this story?

A. We must do everything well.         B. It’s nice to keep a dog.     

C. We should be just what we are.       D. It’s easy to clean a dog.