He's an old cobbler (修鞋匠) with a shop in the Marais, a historic area in Paris. When I took him my shoes, he at first told me: “I haven't time. Take them to the other fellow on the main street ; he'll fix them for you right away.”
But I'd had my eye on his shop for a long time. Just looking at his bench loaded with tools and pieces of leather, I knew he was a skilled craftsman (手艺人). “No,” I replied, “the other fellow can't do it well.”
“The other fellow” was one of those shopkeepers who fix shoes and make keys “while-U-wait” -- without knowing much about m
ending shoes or making keys. They work carelessly, and when they have finished sewing back a sandal strap (鞋带) you might as well just throw away the pair.
My man saw I wouldn't give in, and he smiled. He wiped his hands on his blue apron ( 围裙), looked at my shoes, had me write my name on 
one shoe with a piece of chalk and said, “Come back in a week.”
I was about to leave when he took a pair of soft leather boots off a shelf.
“See what I can do?” he said with pride. “Only three of us in Paris can do this kind of work. ”
When I got back out into the street, the world seemed brand-new to me. He was something out of an ancient legend, this old craftsman with his way of speaking familiarly, his very strange, dusty felt hat, his funny accent from who-knows-where and, above all, his pride in his craft.
These are times when nothing is important but the bottom line, when you can do things any old way as long as it “pays”, when, in short, people look on work as a path to ever-increasing consumption (消费) rather than a way to realize their own abilities. In such a period it is a rare comfort to find a cobbler who gets his greatest satisfaction from pride in a job well done.
Which of the following is true about the old cobbler.'?
| A．He was equipped with the best repairing tools. | B．He was the only cobbler in the Marais. |
| C．He was proud of his skills. | D．He was a native Parisian. |
The sentence “He was something out of an ancient legend.” ( paragraph 7 ) implies that
| A．nowadays you can hardly find anyone like him |
| B．it was difficult to communicate with this man |
| C．the man was very strange |
| D．the man was too old |
According to the author, many people work just to .
| A．realize their abilities | B．gain happiness | C．make money | D．gain respect |
This story wants to tell us that ________ .
| A．craftsmen make a lot of money | B．whateve r you do, do it well |
| C．craftsmen need self-respect | D．people are born equal |
Jimmy is an automotive mechanic, but he lost his job a few months ago. He has good heart, but always feared applying for a new job.
One day, he gathered up all his strength and decided to attend a job interview. His appointment was at 10 am and it was already 8:30. While waiting for a bus to the office where he was supposed to be interviewed, he saw an elderly man wildly kicking the tyre of his car. Obviously there was something wrong with the car. Jimmy immediately went up to lend him a hand. When Jimmy finished working on the car, the old man asked him how much he should pay for the service. Jimmy said there was no need to pay him; he just helped someone in need, and he had to rush for an interview. Then the old man said, “Well, I could take you to the office for your interview. It’s the least I could do. Please. I insist.” Jimmy agreed.
Upon arrival, Jimmy found a long line of applications waiting to be interviewed. Jimmy still had some grease on him after the car repair, but he did not have much time to wash it off or have a change of shirt. One by one, the applicants left the interviewer’s office with disappointed look on their faces. Finally his name was called. The interviewer was sitting on a large chair facing the office window. Rocking the chair back and forth, he asked, “Do you really need to be interviewed?” Jimmy’s heart sank. “With the way I look now, how could I possibly pass this interview?” he thought to himself.
Then the interviewer turned the chair and to Jimmy’s surprise, it was the old man he helped earlier in the morning. It turned out he was the General Manager of the company.“Sorry I had to keep you waiting, but I was pretty sure I made the right decision to have you as part of our workforce before you even stepped into the office. I just know you’d be a trustworthy worker. Congratulations!” Jimmy sat down and they shared a cup of well-deserved coffee as he landed himself a new job.Why did Jimmy apply for a new job?
| A．He was out of work |
| B．He was bored with his job |
| C．He wanted a higher position |
| D．He hoped to find a better boss |
What did Jimmy see on the way to the interview?
| A．A friend’s car had a flat tyre |
| B．a wild man was pushing a car |
| C．a terrible accident happened |
| D．an old man’s car broke down |
Why did the old man offer Jimmy a ride?
| A．He was also to be interviewed |
| B．He needed a traveling companion |
| C．He always helped people in need |
| D．He was thankful to Jimmy |
How did Jimmy feel on hearing the interviewer’s question?
| A．He was sorry for the other applicants |
| B．There was no hope for him to get the job |
| C．He regretted helping the old man |
| D．The interviewer was very rude |
What can we learn from Jimmy’s experience？
| A．Where there is a will, there’s a way |
| B．A friend in need is a friend indeed |
| C．Good is rewarded with good. |
| D．Two heads are better than one |
Mini Book Excerpts (节选)
Biography（自传）
When Salinger learned that a car park was to be built on the land，the middleaged writer was shocked and quickly bought the neighboring area to protect it ... The towns people never forgot the rescue and came to help their most famous neighbor.
J. D. Salinger: A Life by Kenneth Slawenski (Random House，$27)
Mystery (疑案小说)
“You're a smart boy. Benny's death was no accident, and you're the only one who saw it happen. Do you think the murderer should get away with it? ”The boy was staring stubbornly at his lap again.
A thought suddenly occurred to Annika，“Did you ...You recognized the man in the car, didn't you？”
The boy hesitated, twisting his fingers，“Maybe，”he said quietly.
Red Wolf by Liza Marklund (Atria Books, $25.99)
Short Stories
She wants to say to him what she has learned，none of it in class: Some women are born stupid, and some women are too smart for their own good. Some women are born to give, and some women only know how to take. Some women learn who they want to be from their mothers, some who they don't want to be. Some mothers suffer so their daughters won't. Some mothers love so their daughters won't.
You Are Free by Danzy Senna (Riverhead Books，$15)
Humor
Do your kids like to have fun? Come to Fun Times! Do you like to watch your kids having fun? Bring them to Fun Times! Fun Times's “amusement cycling” is the most fun you can have, legally, in the United States right now. Why spend thousands of dollars flying to Disney World when you can spend less than half of that within a day's drive of most cities?
Happy And Other Bad Thoughts by Larry Doyle (Ecco，$14.99)If the readers want to know about the life of Salinger, they should buy the book published by ________.
| A．Ecco | B．Random House |
| C．Riverhead Books | D．Atria Books |
The book Happy And Other Bad Thoughts is intended for ________.
| A．young children | B．Disney World workers |
| C．middle school teachers | D．parents with young children |
Which book describes women with characters of their own?
A．You Are Free B．J. D. Salinger: A Life
C．Happy And Other Bad Thoughts D．Red Wolf
The USA is a land of immigrants. Between 1815 and 1914, the world witnessed the greatest peaceful migration in its history: 35 million people, mostly Europeans, left their homelands to start new lives in America. Why did these people risk everything by leaving their homes and families?
First, what forced emigrants to make the decision to leave? One major cause for European farmers to leave was the rise in population which in turn led to land hunger. Another was politics. There was an increases taxation(税收)and the growth of armies, and many young men fled eastern Europe to avoid being forced to join the army. Physical hunger provided another pressing reason. Following the collapse(衰退)of the economy of southern Italy in the 1860s, hundreds of thousands decided to start a new life in America. Religion also encouraged millions to leave the Old World.
In short, people chose to leave their homes for social, economic and religious reasons. As a result, by 1890 among a total population of 63 million, there were more than nine million foreign-born Americans.
But what were the attractions? First of all, there was the promise of land which was scarce(缺乏的，罕见的)in Europe. Next, factories were calling for workers, and pay conditions were much better than back home. Men were needed to open up the West and build the long railroads, and new towns needed settlers to live in and to develop business. There was the space for religious people to practice their faith in peace.
This immigration meant that by around the 1850s Americans of non-English had started to be more than those of English. As we know, there were losers. To start with, there were those unwilling immigrants, the slaves who had been used as a source of cheap labor. Nor should we forget the equally unlucky American Indians. By 1860 there were 27 million free whites, four million slaves and a mere 488,000 free blacks.
Nowadays, the USA is still seen by millions as the Promised Land. As always, it remains an attractive place to those who think it will offer them a second chance. What is not the cause for people to leave their homeland?
| A．The search for religious freedom. | B．Economics. |
| C．Unwillingness to join the army. | D．The search for adventure. |
Why was life of the 19th Century European farmers difficult?
| A．There were too many of them. | B．There was no space. |
| C．The population had gone down. | D．There was no land. |
Which of the following was not an attraction of the USA？
| A．Employment. | B．Freedom of religion |
| C．A healthy life. | D．Business opportunities. |
What is the topic of this passage?
| A．The USA is still seen by millions as the Promised Land. |
| B．The USA is a land of immigrants. |
| C．Religion encouraged millions to leave the Old World. |
| D．About one-eighth of non-native born Americans live in the USA in 1890. |
Schooling matters
THIS is an excerpt(摘录) from Michelle Obama’s speech at No 7 High School in Chengdu on March 25,2014 :
You see, the truth is that I grew up like many of you. My Mom, my dad, my brother and I, we lived in a tiny apartment in Chicago, which is one of the largest cities in America. My father worked at the local water plant……
While we certainly weren’t rich, my parents had big dreams for me and my brother. They had only a high school education themselves, but they were determined to send us both to universities. So they poured all of their love and all of their hope into us, and they worked hard. They saved every penny. And I know that wasn’t easy for them, especially for my father. You see, my father had a serious illness called multiple sclerosis(多发性硬化). And as he got sicker, it got harder for him to walk, and it took him longer to get dressed in the morning.
But no matter how tired he felt, no matter how much pain he was in, my father hardly ever missed a day of work, because he was determined to give me and my brother a better life. And every day, like so many of you, I felt the weight of my parents’ sacrifices(牺牲)on my shoulders. Every day, I wanted to make them proud.
So, while most American kids attend public schools near their homes, when it was time for me to attend high school, I took an exam and got into a special public high school where I could get a better education. But the school was very far from my home, so I had to get up early every morning and ride a bus for an hour, sometimes an hour and a half if the weather was bad. And every afternoon, I’d ride that same bus back home and then immediately start my homework, often studying late into the night—and sometimes I would wake up at 4:30 or 5：00 in the morning to study even more.
And it wasn’t easy. But whenever I got tired or discouraged (气馁的，沮丧的), I would just think about how hard my parents were working for me. And I would remember something my mother always told me—she said: “A good education is something that no one can take away from you.”Which of the following is TRUE about Michelle Obama and her family?
| A．Her parents were poor but had good educational backgrounds． |
| B．She attended a public high school near her home． |
| C．She was aware of her parents’ sacrifices and expectations. |
| D．Her father suffered a serious disease and became disabled. |
Which of the following words best describes Michelle’s father?
| A．Strong-minded | B．Humorous | C．Artistic | D．Generous |
What does Michelle mainly want to tell readers in this excerpt?
| A．She struggled a lot to become the US First Lady． |
| B．Our parents always have high expectations for us． |
| C．She is an ordinary person from an ordinary family． |
| D．We should work hard and get good educations． |
A famous doctor once received a little child who was badly ill. Thanks to his skill and care, his young patient got well and was soon able to get up and run about again.
The child's mother was very much obliged to the doctor, and she called on him to thank him for what he had done for her child. "Doctor," she said, "you have saved my little son. I don't know how to thank you enough. I feel that money alone cannot repay you, so I have made this little purse with my own hands, as a sign of my gratitude. I hope you will accept it." The doctor stood up and said coldly, "Madam, a little present like that is very nice between friends, but a doctor needs to be paid properly for what he has done." The lady was so surprised and hurt so much that she could not reply for a moment. Then she said quietly, "Perhaps you will tell me how much your fee is?"
"Fifty pounds", he answered.
The lady opened the little purse and took out four fifty-pound bank notes. She handed one of them to the doctor, and put the other three back into the purse. She put the purse into her handbag and, saying good bye to the doctor, went out of the room.The lady was thankful to the doctor because ________.
| A．he had saved her life | B．he had saved her son's life |
| C．he had lent her some money | D．he often called on her |
. The doctor refused the lady's purse because he thought ______.
| A．the purse should be given between friends |
| B．the purse was too small |
| C．the lady was not kind to him |
| D．the lady just gave him that purse and wouldn't give him the medical fee |
What the doctor said ______ the lady.
| A．worried | B．interested |
| C．frightened | D．hurt |
The money in the purse _______.
| A．was only 150 pounds |
| B．was less than 200 pounds |
| C．was much more than the medical fee |
| D．was not enough for the medical fee |
How do you think the doctor would feel in the end?
| A．Sorry and worried | B．Regret and proud |
| C．Excited and proud | D．Sorry and regret |