My Best Enemy
Once again, I was in a new school. So was a girl in my class named Lisa. That’s where the similarities ended.
I was tall and she was small. My thick black hair had been recently cut short into an untidy style. Her natural blonde hair flowed to her waist and looked great. I was 12 and one of the oldest in the class while she was 11 and the youngest. I was awkward and shy. She wasn’t. I couldn’t stand her, considering her my enemy. But she liked me and wanted to be friends.
One day, she invited me over and I said yes—I was too shocked to answer any other way. My family had moved six times in six years, and I had never managed to develop any friendships. But this girl who wore the latest fashions wanted me to go home with her after school. She lived in a fun part of town that had two pizza places, an all-right bookstore, a movie theater and a park. As we walked from the school bus stop through her neighborhood, I tried to guess which house might be hers. Was it the white one with the perfect lawn or the three –story house with a front porch? I got very surprised when she led me into an old apartment building. She lived on the fourth floor in a two-room place with her mother, her stepfather, her two brothers and her sister.
When we got into the room she shared with her sister, she took out a big case of Barbies, which was my next surprise. I had never played with them. We sat on the floor, laughing as we made up crazy stories about the Barbies. We found out that we both wanted to be writers when we were older and both had wild imaginations. We had a great day that afternoon.
Lisa was loved by the whole neighborhood. The bookstore owners lent her fashion magazines; the movie theater gave her free tickets…. Soon I was included in her magic world. We slept over at each other’s houses and spent every free moment together.
Lisa, my first real friend since childhood, helped me get through the rough years of early adolescence（青春期）and taught me an amazing and very surprising thing about making friends: you worst enemy can turn out to be your best friend.
54．The writer and Lisa were similar in the way that________ .
A．they were both new students B．they had the same hair styles
C．they were both tall D．they were of the same age
55．One day Lisa invited the writer____________.
A．to go to the movie B．to go to her home
C．to go to walk in a park D．to go to a pizza place
56．In the passage the writer described Lisa as a girl who was___________ .
A．awkward and shy B．rich and happy
C．quiet and lonely D．friendly and lovely
57．Which of the following did the writer learn from Lisa?
A．How to make up stories. B．How to deal with enemies.
C．How to make friends. D．How to live a better life.
When you put down your pens at the end of the college entrance exam, 12 hard years of study will have come to an end. Forget your studies for a while. It’s time to enjoy yourselves!
There are many ways to celebrate this special month of graduation. You can have photos taken with your classmates and teachers, or dine out together and exchange gifts.
High school students in western countries such as the United States and Canada usually have party to mark their graduation. It’s to mark the time when kids turn into young men and women. After the party, teenagers either go to college or find a job. It means they will no longer depend on their parents as before.
As the party, boys usually dress in dinner jackets and bow ties, though many different types of formal clothes are worn. Girls traditionally wear formal dresses, or dress to shock or be noticed, in shiny or brightly colored materials.
Common party activities include dining, dancing, the crowing(加冕)of a ball king and queen, and just talking to friends. In some cases, high school students collect funds for their class party through the four years of their high school.
High schools in or near large cities may rent big rooms at expensive hotels or，to be unusual, on a pleasure boat．But often costs are out by simply using the school gym．Students make a lot of effort to decorate the gym to make the event special．The music played at the party will be the most popular kinds，like rock and hip-hop．
Sometimes teachers and parents also go to the party，but others like to go with friends，to whom they are soon going to say goodbye．The writer’s purpose in writing this passage is to．
| A．tell an interesting experience of high school students |
| B．tell how the western students spend the last days of high school |
| C．introduce several ways of the western students’ killing time |
| D．tell how western high school students usually celebrate graduation |
What does the party mean, for western high school students that are about to graduate?
| A．They are adults and will not depend on parents． |
| B．These teenagers can find a job to support themselves． |
| C．They have grown up and need friends’ help． |
| D．They have finished high school and will go to college． |
What does the underlined word“mark”in Paragraph 3 mean?
| A．Remember | B．Show | C．Sign | D．Celebrate． |
From the fourth paragraph，we can infer that .
| A．the party is very interesting |
| B．graduates pay much attention to the party |
| C．boys wear as usual to attend the party |
| D．girls like to make themselves beautiful at all hours |
All the following statements are true EXCEPT that .
| A．generally speaking，students will receive 12 years’ formal education before going to college |
| B．girls wear formal dresses or dress in shiny or brightly colored materials in order to be noticed |
| C．using the school gym is cheaper and students don’t need to make a lot of effort |
| D．sometimes teachers and parents are also invited to the parties |
Trip 1 Black Bear Count
There have been fires in this area in the last few years and the Office of the National Park is not sure how many black bears are still living. Some bears have been seen since the fires, and the Office has asked for young people to help count them. The entire trip will last three hours. Bookings necessary.
Cost: Free When: May 8
Trip 2 Garland Valley
Bring your drink and lunch for this walk in a beautiful area of the Blue Mountains. Garland Valley is close to the town of Garland hut is part of the National Park. Many wild animals live in this area, including many rare birds. This is a great walk for bird-lovers. The trip lasts four hours. Bookings necessary.
Cost: $ 15 When: May 8, May 15
Trip 3 Flashlight Adventure
Put on your warm clothes, bring a flashlight and a pair of glasses, and come for a night walk along the Dungog Valley. A guide will lead the tour. Many of the animals you will see on this trip . The guide will tell you about the lives of the animals you see. Numbers are strictly limited on night trips, so be sure to book early. This walk lasts two and a half hours.
Cost: $ 12 When: May 8, May 15, May22
Equipment to be needed:
• Please bring enough water and food for all walks.
• Wear good walking shoes—no high heels.
• Wear a hat for day walks.
• Dress warmly for night walks.
• Children must be with an adult.
• Make sure your flashlight works well and bring extra batteries for night walks.
• Follow all instructions from guides during the walks. The mountains are a dangerous place.
Bookings:
• Bookings for the above trips can be trade by telephone（893 — 4847）or on the Internet at www. Bluemountaintour. comWhere are these trips?
| A．In a large city. | B．In a park in the mountains. |
| C．In a special kind of zoo. | D．In three different countries. |
On which trip might you see animals that sleep during the day?
| A．Black Bear Count | B．Garland Valley |
| C．Flashlight Adventure | D．None of the trips |
Which of the following is NOT necessary for the three trips?
| A．Good walking shoes | B．A pair of glasses |
| C．Food and water | D．A sleeping-bag |
Which following statement about Flashlight Adventure is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．Bring your drink and lunch for this walk. |
| B．Many of the animals you will see on this trip . |
| C．The guide will tell you about the lives ofthe animals you see. |
| D．There is no need to book early. |
What is the best title for the passage?
| A．Adventure Travel in America |
| B．Hunting around the Great Mountains |
| C．Interesting Trips in the East of the USA |
| D．Discovery Trips in the Blue Mountains |
The American book Who Moved My Cheese（奶酪）has been a bestseller all over the world. It teaches people how to face changes in their lives. Now its author Spence Johnson has written a book just for teens. The book tells us that when facing change in our lives, like a new school or new friends, don’t be afraid. Instead, use this change to make a better life. The book gives an example of a change at school. A school is changing from having two terms to three terms because there are too many students.
Several teens are talking about this. Most of them are unhappy and worried. But Chris is not. He laughs and tells a story about two mice, two “little people” and some cheese.
The four are in a maze looking for the cheese. Here, cheese means something important in life, like moving to a new class or getting into college. But they find the cheese is gone. The mice realize that they can’t change what has happened and have to find more cheese. This means finding different dreams. The little people, however, can’t do this. They are afraid of change so they find no cheese.
After Chris finishes the story, the friends understand one thing: to get more cheese, move in a new direction quickly. His friends understand how this can be used in the changes all teens face, such as doing well at school or having good relationships or just feeling good about yourself.The book Who Moved My Cheese is _________.
| A．written all over the world | B．read across the world |
| C．sold only in America | D．loved only by teens |
What does the text mainly discuss?
| A．Never change in our life | B．Change when you like to do |
| C．Change with the changes | D．Pay attention to the changes |
The underlined word “four”（paragraph 3）refers to ______.
| A．Mice and little people | B．students |
| C．Cheese | D．Readers |
In our lives, we should learn from _________.
| A．mice | B．little people | C．Chris | D．Spence Johnson |
Which of the following statements is true?
| A．The author is Britain. |
| B．There are three terms in every school. |
| C．Most teens don’t understand Chris’ story. |
| D．The book tells teens how to face changes in their lives. |
My mother was a household servant. Through her work, she observed that successful people spent a lot more time reading than they did watching television. She announced that my brother and I could only watch two to three pre-selected TV programs during the week. With our free time, we had to read two books each from the Detroit Public Library and write book reports. She would mark them up with check marks. Years later we realized her marks were a ruse. My mother had only received a third-grade education. Although we had no money, between the covers of those books, I could go anywhere, do anything and be anybody.
When I entered high school, I was an A-student, but not for long. I wanted the fancy clothes. I wanted to hang out with the guys. I went form being an A- student to a B- student to a C-student, but I didn’t care.
One night my mother came home and I complained about not having enough shirts. She said, “Okay, I’ll give you all the money I make this week cleaning floors and bathrooms, and you can buy the family food and pay the bills. With everything left over, you can have all the shirts you want.”
I was very pleased with that arrangement but once I got through allocating(分配) money, there was nothing left. I realized my mother was a financial genius to be able to keep a roof over our heads and any kind of food on the table, much less buy clothes.
I also realized that immediate satisfaction wasn’t going to get me anywhere. Success required intellectual(理智的) preparation. I went back to my studies and became an A-student again. I dreamed of becoming a doctor when I was just a kid. And now I have achieved my dream.
Over the years my mother’s changeless faith in God has inspired me, particularly when I found myself faced with my own medical illness. A few years ago I discovered I had a very serious cancer; I was told it might have spread to my spine(脊柱). My mother believed in God very much. She never worried. She said that God would never throw me away forever; there was no way that this was going to be a major problem. The abnormality in spine turned out to be not bad; I was able to have surgery and am cured.
My story is really my mother’s story －a woman little formal education or worldly goods who used her position as a parent to change the lives of her children. The underlined word “ruse” in the first paragraph probably means .
| A．discovery | B．success | C．trick | D．pleasure |
When the author asked his mother to buy him shirts, she .
| A．advised him to earn money by himself |
| B．asked him to try to manage their money |
| C．persuaded him not to buy them patiently |
| D．agreed to buy them for him immediately |
What do we learn about the author?
| A．He now works as a doctor. |
| B．He disliked watching TV as a kid. |
| C．He received little formal education. |
| D．He often did housework when young. |
The underlined word “this” in the last but one paragraph refers to .
| A．God’s throwing me away |
| B．my own medical illness |
| C．the operation on my spine |
| D．my mother’s changeless faith in God |
In writing the passage, the author mainly shows us .
| A．the happy relationships in his family |
| B．the benefits of reading for young children |
| C．the importance of formal education for adults |
| D．his mother’s great influence on his development |
Individuals should pay for their higher education. A university education is of huge and direct benefit to the individual.
Graduates earn more than non-graduates. Meanwhile, social mobility is ever more dependent on having a degree. However, only some people have it. So the individual, not the taxpayers, should pay for it. There are pressing calls on the resources of the government. Using taxpayers’ money to help a small number of people to earn high incomes in the future is not one of them.
Full government funding is not very good for universities. Adam Smith worked in a Scottish university whose teachers lived off student fees. He knew and looked down upon 18th century Oxford, where the academics lived comfortably off the income received from the government. Guaranteed salaries, Smith argued, were the enemy of hard work; and when the academics were lazy and incompetent, the stduents were similarly lazy.
If students have to pay for their education, they not only work harder, but also demand more from their teachers. And their teachers have to keep them satisfied. If that means taking teaching seriously, and giving less time to their own research interests, that is surely something to celebrate.
Many people believe that higher education should be free because it is good for the economy. Many graduates clearly do contribute to national wealth, but so do all the businesses that invest and create jobs. If you believe that the government should pay for higher education because graduates are economically productive, you should also believe that the government should pay part of business costs. Anyone promising to create jobs should receive a gift of capital from the government to invest.
Therefore, it is the individual, not the government, who should pay for their university education. The underlined word “them” in Paragraph 2 refers to .
| A．taxpayers | B．pressing calls | C．college graduates | D．government resources |
The author thinks that with full government funding .
| A．teachers are less satified | B．students are more demanding |
| C．students will become more competent | D．teachers will spend less time on teaching |
The author mentions businesses in Paragraph 5 in order to .
| A．argue against free university education | B．call on them to finance students’ studies |
| C．encourage graduates to go into business | D．show their contribution to higher education |