An eight-year-old child heard her parents talking about her little brother. All she knew was that he was very sick and they had no money. Only a very expensive operation could save him now and there was no one to lend them the money.
When she heard her daddy say to her tearful mother, “Only a miracle can save him now,” the little girl went to her bedroom and pulled her money from its hiding place and counted it carefully.
She hurried to a drugstore with the money in her hand.
“And what do you want?” asked the salesman. “It’s for my little brother,” the girl answered. “He’s really, really sick and I want to buy a miracle.” “Pardon?” said the salesman.
“My brother Andrew has something bad growing inside his head and my daddy says only a miracle can save him. So how much does a miracle cost?” “We don’t sell a miracle here, child. I’m sorry,” the salesman said with a smile.
“Listen, if it isn’t enough, I can try and get some more. Just tell me how much it costs.”
A well-dressed man heard it and asked, “What kind of a miracle does your brother need?”
“I don’t know,” she answered with her eyes full of tears. “He’s really sick and mum says he needs an operation. But my daddy can’t pay for it, so I have brought all my money.”
“How much do you have?” asked the man. “$ 1.11, but I can try and get some more,” she answered.
“Well, what luck,” smiled the man. “$ 1.11, the price of a miracle for little brothers.”
He took up the girl’s hand and said, “Take me to where you live. I want to see your brother and meet your parents. Let’s see if I have the kind of miracle you need.”
That well-dressed man was Dr Carlton Armstrong, a famous doctor. The operation was successful and it wasn’t long before Andrew was home again.
How much did the miracle cost?
59．What was the trouble in the little girl’s family?
A．Her brother was seriously ill. B．They had no money.
C．Nothing could save her brother. D．Both A and B.
60．In the eye of the little girl, a miracle might be___________.
A．something interesting B．something beautiful
C．some wonderful medicine D．some good food
61．The little girl said again and again “...I can try and get some more.” That shows________.
A．she had still kept some money
B．she hoped not to be refused
C．There was no need to worry about money
D．she thought money was easy to get
62．What made the miracle happen?
A．The girl’s love for her brother． B．The girl’s money.
C．The medicine from the drugstore. D．Nobody can tell.
"Extra? Extra！Gasoline hits four dollars a gallon!”
No one will really be shocked一except, perhaps, the old-timers who tell about the good old days when gas was three gallons for a dollar, and people drove around "just for the fun of it".
As a matter of fact; the price of gas has been rising fast and steadily for several years, and many adjustments have already been made.
There was, for a time, considerable unemployment in the auto industry, and three quarters of the garages and service stations have gone out of business. However; the bicycle and motor-scooter business has flourished（兴旺); and many people have found employment there: Now that Federal Motors has brought out its new Lilliput, which travels forty miles on a gallon, the auto business is picking up again. The factories that haven't switched over to two-wheel transportation are working on their new smaller models. There is talk, too, about bringing out new steam and electric automobiles that will be just as economical as the old cars.
In the meantime, streetcars are gradually replacing buses all over the country because of the greater economy of electric power. And many people who have seldom used public transportation are now riding the streetcars while their automobiles rust（生锈）in their garages. There's no market at all for their big, luxurious cars, for only the wealthy can now afford to operate them. Many people are now shopping in their own neighborhood, and small businesses are thriving.
Ministers, educators, and editorial writers are pointing out that there has been a great improvement in family life. Families now stay at home more for their fun, and children and parents are becoming better acquainted. The stores report a booming business in parlor games, hobby materials, books, musical instruments and albums.
People have lost their pale indoor look. The revival of the lost art of walking has brought a healthy pink back to many a cheek. This return to the heels has revolutionized the clothing styles; people now need to be ready for all kinds of weather:
These conditions, however, may not last. Already our clever chemists are at work on new synthetic fuels which, they say, will put us right back where we were一on wheels. Shall w e wish them success or not?Which of the following is NOT a result of the gas price rising?
| A．More people prefer to travel on public transportation which costs less than driving cars. |
| B．People return to the traditional exercise of walking, which helps them to look healthier. |
| C．People shop in nearby stores without having to drive, so small businesses are declining. |
| D．The auto industry has been forced to develop new models which are more economical. |
The purpose of writing this passage is＿．
| A．to show the chain reaction of the rising gas price |
| B．to discuss whether it's necessary to work on new fuels |
| C．to warn people not to use too much gasoline |
| D．to picture what life will be like if gas runs out |
What is the best title for this passage?
| A．New fuels on the way |
| B．Cars or bicycles, that is a question |
| C．End of the good old days |
| D．From wheels to heels |
Cliff House
Top of the world
Near the North Pole
Christmas, 1925
My dear boys,
I am dreadfully busy this year一it makes my hand more shaky than ever when I think of it一and not very rich; in fact awful things have been happening, and some of the presents have got spoilt, and I haven't got the North Polar Bear to help me, and I have had to move house just before Christmas, so you can imagine what a state everything is in, and you will see why I have a new address, and why I can only write one letter between you both．
|K] It all happened like this: one very windy day last November my hood blew off and went and stuck on the top of the North Pole. I told him not to, but the North Polar Bear climbed up to the thin top to get it down一and he did. The pole broke in the middle and fell on the roof of my house, and the North Polar Bear fell through the hole it made into the dining room with my hood over his nose, and all the snow fell off the roof into the house and melted and put out all the fires and ran down into the cellars where I was collecting this year's presents, and the North Polar
Bear's leg got broken.
He is well again now, but I was so cross with him that he says he won't try to help me again一I expect his temper is hurt, and will be mended by next Christmas.
I send you a picture of the accident and of my new house on the cliffs above the North Pole(with beautiful cellars in the cliffs).
That's all. Good Bye！Why can the writer only write one letter to the two boys?
| A．His hand is more shaky than ever. |
| B．He is extremely busy. |
| C．He has got a new address. |
| D．He has to help the North Polar Bear. |
Which of the following is most likely to be the picture of the accident?
The underlined "him'，refers to
| A．the hood | B．the pole | C．the hale | D．the bear |
Although cats may be one of the most popular pets today, little is known about how and when humans and cats set up their close relationship.
The earliest evidence for human–cat interaction dates back to prehistoric Cyprus（史前塞浦路斯）, where the remains of a wild cat and a human — dated 9,500 years old — were found buried together.
A new study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has confirmed the first direct evidence of a human–domestic cat relationship among Chinese farmers 5,300 years ago. Researchers studied the bones of cats, dogs, deer and other animals unearthed in an excavation (挖掘) near a village in Central China. By using some ways, scientists showed that the cats were living on a mostly millet(黍)–based diet, just like the domesticated dogs and pigs from the site.
"The most reasonable explanation for a high consumption of millet–based food is that the cats had formed a stable and mutual relationship with humans and could easily feed on rodents (啮齿动物) around human villages, find leftover food or even have been fed by people intentionally," said Hu Yaowu from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, whose research focuses on the relationship between humans and domesticated animals.
"It is very interesting for us to find the consumption of millet-based foods by the cats, since this kind of evidence had long been missing.” Hu explains. Since cats usually eat meat, such a diet would be unexpected, unless the cats were being fed by people, the study argues. The researchers also found that one of the cats survived to reach old age, implying that it had a safe place to live and enough to eat.
Why the farmers wanted to keep cats nearby or make them "pets" could be answered by other evidence. Chinese archaeologists found some storage containers were specifically designed to keep out rodents — a vermin (害兽) that cats could certainly have helped with.
The simplified theory is that rats were attracted to the food of farmers, and so were harmful to farmers. Cats were attracted to the rats, and so farmers formed a mutually beneficial relationship with cats, taking care of them in return for pest control.The evidence found in the remains dating back to prehistoric Cyprus means .
| A．human made cats pets as early as 9,500 years ago |
| B．human interacted with cats very early |
| C．cats didn’t appear until prehistoric Cyprus |
| D．when cats became domesticated |
Apart from cats, Hu Yaowu and his teams may also study .
| A．the preventions of pests from grains |
| B．the history of Chinese farming |
| C．the dogs and pigs |
| D．the ways to keep pets |
Which of the following is NOT the evidence of Chinese farms’ keeping cats?
| A．Cats didn’t feed on meat. |
| B．The cats consumed large amounts of millet–based foods. |
| C．One of the cats survived to reach old age. |
| D．Some storage containers were specifically designed to keep out rodents. |
What are the reasons for farmers to keep cats?
| A．Helping keep other domesticated animals. |
| B．Not letting cats eat food. |
| C．Supplying meat for human. |
| D．Helping reduce the amount of pests. |
In which part of a newspaper would be the passage most probably appear.
| A．Entertainment | B．Environment |
| C．Human and Science | D．Life and fashion |
The younger daughter of former New York Mayor Richard White has moved her wedding from New Year’s Eve to this Thursday so her mother, who has been fighting against cancer for 11 years, can take part in the ceremony, a family spokesman said on Wednesday, Oct, 12, 2013. Elizabeth Lally White, who turns 28 on Thursday, will marry Sam Peterson in Spiaggia, a restaurant on North Michigan Avenue. The reception also will be held at the restaurant, which had been previously scheduled to host the couple’s engagement party on Thursday. 
Lally White’s mother, Maggie, 68, was reported to have caught breast cancer in 2002. She had an operation in her leg in April and she was hospitalized twice in the weeks following the procedure for treatment of flu-like symptoms that doctors said were not related to the cancer. Maggie, who has used a walker or a wheelchair during most public appearances in recent years, is well beyond the average survival time for someone with breast cancer.
“As the mayor himself has said, she had a pretty difficult summer.” said Jacquelyn Heard, who served Mayor White’s press secretary for years and followed him to the same international law firm that he joined after leaving office in May. “She was not able to get around the way that she normally would do. This year, she has had quite a few setbacks and they’ve been pretty well documented. Lally White decided to reschedule the wedding so that her mom can participate in the festivities (庆祝活动).” Heard said. Lally White is a doctoral candidate at De-Paul University and plans to work with autistic (孤独症) children, and Sam Peterson works in insurance, Heard said.
Richard and Maggie White married in 1972 and had three children in addition to Lally — Nora, Patrick and Kevin. But Kevin was born with a disease and died in 1981 at 33 months.When was Elizabeth Lally White born?
| A．In 1983. | B．In 1987. | C．In 1985. | D．In 1984. |
What can we infer from Paragraph 2?
| A．Maggie, 68, is recovering now. |
| B．Maggie caught breast cancer in 2002. |
| C．The cancer caused some flu-like symptoms on Maggie. |
| D．Average breast cancer patients lived a life shorter than Maggie. |
Why did Lally White reschedule her wedding?
| A．She was afraid that her mother couldn’t participate her wedding on New Year’s Eve. |
| B．She was eager to work with autistic children after wedding. |
| C．Her family will move out of New York. |
| D．Her mother will accept operation because of her disease. |
How many children did the former mayor and his wife give birth to?
| A．3. | B．4. | C．5. | D．6. |
What does the passage mainly talk about?
| A．The political life of former Mayor. |
| B．The brave wife of former Mayor. |
| C．The wedding of former Mayor’s daughter. |
| D．The family life of former Mayor. |
It is generally believed that we are getting cleaned when we step under a shower. We are, but we’re also giving a home to lots of tiny little creatures we didn’t even know about. A showerhead carries thousands of bacteria called Mycobacterium．These can cause problems like coughs and tiredness, and a general feeling of poorliness (身体不舒服). When you turn on the water, the bacteria go from the showerhead onto and into your body.
This is a finding of Norman R. Pace and his team at the University of Colorado, in the US. The scientists investigated bacteria in all kinds of human environment, including showers．Pace's team looked at 45 showerheads in nine American cities. They discovered that 30 percent of them had large amounts of flying Mycobacterium.
But Pace said that they pose few threats to the health．Only those with a weak immune system might need to worry．He told the New York Times that the bacteria are not as unpleasant as might be thought．He said that having a shower is no more dangerous than anything else we do in the morning．
But for those who feel sick about the idea of all those microorganisms (微生物), he had some advice. Let the water run for 30 seconds before getting into the shower. Why? The number of bacteria is smaller than that when the water is just turned on. If that seems like a waste of water, he added that you could also change your showerhead every few months.
However, Pace had good news too. He has also been testing the air in US subways. Apart from iron particles (粒子), which are ground off the track by the wheels of trains, subway air is fresh. The reason is that a train’s movement pumps fresh outdoor air into the tunnels.
Pace explained that he wanted to understand the natural microbial environments of public places. This kind of knowledge might help discover the microbes to be used in a bioterrorist (生物恐怖分子) attack.From the finding of Norman R. Pace, after taking a shower, we might cough or feel tired because.
| A．it’s easy to get a cold when taking a bath |
| B．the showerhead carries many bacteria causing illness |
| C．we don’t get cleaned while showering |
| D．we don’t get a weak immune system |
According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?
| A．Hot water could kill most of bacteria in showerheads. |
| B．Of 45 showerheads surveyed in nine cities, 30 carried large amounts of Mycobacterium. |
| C．Changing showerheads is the only way to avoid microorganisms. |
| D．Shower water contains much less bacteria after being left to run for 30 seconds. |
We can learn from the third paragraph that .
| A．having a shower in the morning is more dangerous than at other time |
| B．the bacteria always threat people’s health |
| C．there is no reason to fear microorganisms for people with strong immune system |
| D．it is better to do some exercise in the morning than have a shower |
The underlined word “pose” in the third paragraph probably means “______”．
| A．cause | B．avoid | C．describe | D．promise |
What contributes to fresh air in US subways?
| A．The train’s movement. | B．Iron particles． |
| C．Train wheels. | D．Air conditioners on the trains． |