After giving a talk at a high school, I was asked to pay a visit to a special student. An illness had kept the boy home, but he had expressed an interest in meeting me. I was told it would mean a great deal to him, so I agreed.
During the nine-mile drive to his home, I found out something about Matthew. He had muscular dystrophy (肌肉萎缩症). When he was born, the doctor told his parents that he would not live to five, and then they were told he would not make it to ten. Now he was thirteen. He wanted to meet me because I was a gold-medal power lifter, and I knew about overcoming obstacles(阻碍) and going for my dreams.
I spent over an hour talking to Matthew. Never once did he complain or ask, “Why me?” He spoke about winning and succeeding and going for his dreams. Obviously, he knew what he was talking about. He didn’t mention that his classmates had made fun of him because he was different. He just talked about his hopes for the future, and how one day he wanted to lift weights with me. When we had finished talking, I went to my briefcase and pulled out the first gold medal I had won and put it around his neck. I told him he was more of a winner and knew more about success and overcoming obstacles than I ever would. He looked at it for a moment, then took it off and handed it back to me. He said, “You are a champion（冠军）. You earned that medal. Someday when I get to the Olympics and win my own medal, I will show it to you.”
Last summer I received a letter from Matthew’s parents telling me that Matthew had passed
away. They wanted me to have a letter he had written to me a few days before:
Dick,
My mum said I should send you a thank-you letter for the picture you sent me. I also want to let you know that the doctors tell me that I don’t have long to live any more, but I still smile as much as I can.
I told you someday that I would go to the Olympics and win a gold medal, but I know now I
will never get to do that. However, I know I’m a champion, and God knows that too. When I get to Heaven, God will give me my medal and when you get there, I will show it to you. Thank you for loving me.
Yours,
Matthew How old was Matthew when they met?
| A．Five. | B．Ten. | C．Thirteen. | D．Eighteen. |
The underlined sentence in the third paragraph probably means that _______.
| A．the boy never complained about not getting a medal |
| B．the boy never complained about not being able to go to school |
| C．the boy never complained why the author had never come to see him before |
| D．the boy never complained about how unlucky he was to have this disease |
Matthew didn’t accept the author’s medal because _________.
| A．he thought it was too expensive |
| B．he was sure that he could win one in the future |
| C．he thought it was of no use to him as he would die soon |
| D．he would not be pitied by others |
From the passage we learn that _________.
| A．Matthew was an athlete |
| B．Matthew was an optimistic and strong-minded boy |
| C．The author used to have the same disease as Matthew had |
| D．Matthew became a champion before he died |
Louis Pasteur, one of the world's great scientists, was born in 1822, and died in 1895.While still a young boy, Louis Pasteur made his decision to become a scientist. He spent much of his life time studying the diseases of cattle, chickens and other tame animals. His wife learned to help him with his work. Almost everyone knows that Pasteur is the man responsible for finding 
a way of preventing milk from spoiling (变质). Not many people know he was the first to imagine and to prove that air we breathe is full of germs. One of his greatest successes was finding a treatment for people and animals to prevent a disease called rabies (狂犬病). Louis Pasteur won many honors and could have got large amount of money. But Pasteur preferred to live simply. The real happiness of this unusual man came from his work. Louis Pasteur did so well in his life that the French government took up his work and created the Institute Pasteur in the year 1888.According to the passage, which of the following statements is true?
| A．Pasteur was a scientist and doctor as well. |
| B．Pasteur lived for less than seventy years. |
| C．Everybody knows that Pasteur succeeded in finding a way of preventing milk from spoiling. |
| D．Pasteur's wife was of some help to him in his work.. |
From the passage, we know that Pasteur lived a simple life. This is because ________.
| A．he earned little money. | B．he cared much about money. |
| C．what he really enjoyed was a simple life. | D．of all mentioned above. |
Why were many honors given to Louis Pasteur?
| A．Because he was the greatest scientist in the world. |
| B．Because he spent much of his life time studying the diseases of people . |
| C．Because he lived simply. |
| D．Because he was a rare success as a scientist. |
Pasteur could have got large amount of money if he had___________.
| A．cared much about it. | B．made more discoveries. |
| C．lived a better life. | D．achieved more successes. |
To Louis Pasteur the real happiness in his life was to __________.
| A．study | B．work |
| C．get large amount of money | D．raise tame animals |
I was waiting for a phone call from my agent. He had left a message the night before, telling me that my show was to be cancelled. I called him several times, but each time his secretary told me that he was in a meeting and that he would call me later. So I waited, but there was still no call. Three hours passing by, I became more and more
impatient
. I was certain that my agent didn’t care about my work, and he didn’t care about me. I was overcome with that thought. I started to shout at the phone, “Let me wait, will you? Who do you think you are?”
At that time I didn’t realize my wife was looking on. Without showing her surprise, she rushed in, seized the phone, tore off the wires, and shouted at the phone, “Yeah! Who do you think you are? Bad telephone! Bad telephone!” And she swept it into the wastebasket.
I stood watching her, speechless. What on earth…?
She stepped to the doorway and shouted at the rest of the house, “Now hear this! All objects in this room – if you do anything to upset my husband, out you go!”
Then she turned to me, kissed me and said calmly, “Honey, you just have to learn how to take control.” With that, she left the room.
After watching a crazy woman rushing in and out, shouting at everything in sight, I noticed that something in my mood(情绪) had changed. I was laughing. How would I have trouble with that phone? Her antics helped me realize I had been driven crazy by small things. Twenty minutes later my agent did call. I was able to listen to him and talk to him calmly. Why did the author shout at the telephone?
| A．He was mad at the telephone. | B．He was angry with his agent. |
| C．He was anxious about his wife | D．He was impatient with the secretary. |
What did the author’s wife do after she heard his shouting?
| A．She said nothing | B．She shouted at him. |
| C．She called the agent | D．She threw the phone away |
What made the author laugh?
| A．His own behavior. | B．His wife’s suggestion |
| C．His changeable feelings | D．His wife’s sweet kiss. |
What does the underlined word “antics” refer to?
| A．Smart words | B．Unusual actions |
| C．Surprising Looks | D．Anxious feelings |
A year ago, I paid no attention to English idioms, though my teacher emphasized(强调)the importance again and again. But soon, the importance of English idioms was shown in an amusing experience
One day, I happened to meet an Englishman on the road, and soon we began to talk. As I was talking about how I was studying English, the foreigner seemed to be surprised . Gently shaking his head, shrugging his shoulders, he said, “You don’t say!” “You don’t say!” I was puzzled. I thought , perhaps this is 
not an proper topic. “Well, I’d better change the topic. “ So I said to him, “Well, shall we talk about the Great Wall? By the way, have you ever been there?” “Certainly, everyone back home will laugh at me if I leave China without seeing it. It was wonderful.” He was deep in thought when I began to talk like a tourist guide. “The Great Wall is one of the wonders in the world. We are very proud of it.” Soon I was stopped again by his words: “You don’t say!” I couldn’t help asking, “Why do you ask me not to talk about it ?” “Well, I didn’t ask you to do so,” he answered, greatly surprised. I said, “Didn’t you say ‘you don’t say’?” Hearing this, the Englishman laughed to tears. He began to explain, ‘You don’t say.’actually means ‘really’! It is an expression of surprise. Perhaps you don’t pay attention to English idioms.” Only then did I know how foolish I had been. Since then I have been more careful with idiomatic expressions. Remember: what the Engl
ish teachers said is always right to us students. At first, on hearing “You don’t say”, I thought the foreigner meant____.
| A．He was not interested in the topic | B．He was only interested in the Great Wall |
| C．I had talked too much | D．I had to stop talking |
The underlined word in the first paragraph probably means____.
| A．interesting | B．important | C．terrible | D．unlucky |
Which of the following is true according to the passage?
| A．The Englishman left China without seeing the Great Wall. |
| B．The Englishman wanted to see the Great Wall after I talked about it. |
| C．The Englishman wanted me to act as his guide. |
| D．The Englishman visited the Great Wall and thought it worth (值得) visiting. |
After the Englishman explained the idiom, _____.
| A．I thought the Englishman had made me a fool. |
| B．The Englishman became a real fool. |
| C．I felt very foolish |
| D．I became more careful in everything. |
BRITAIN is a popular tourist place. But tours of the country have advantages and disadvantages .
ADVANTAGES
Free museums. No charge for good collections of art works
Pop music. Britain is the only country to rival(与…匹敌)the US on this point.
Cabs. London taxi drivers well know where they are going.
Choice of food. Visitors can find food from every corner of the world .
Fashion. Not only do fashion junkies love deeply and respect highly brand names such as Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen; street styles are justly loved, too.
DISADVANTAGES
Poor service. People can dine out on the rudeness they have experienced,” says Professor Tony Seaton, of Luton University’s International Tourism Research Center.
Poor public transport. Trains and buses are promised to defeat tourists who have the most patience, so the over- crowded London tube is inexplicably(难以理解的) popular.
Rain. Still in the number one complaint.
Overpriced hotels. The only European country with a higher rate of tax on hotel rooms is Denmark.
Drinking hours. Alcohol(酒) is in short supply after 11 pm even in “24-hour cities”. What do tourists complain most?
| A．Poor service. | B．Poor public transport. |
| C．Rain. | D．Overpriced hotels. |
When is alcohol not able to get?
| A．At 9: 00 pm | B．At 10: 00 pm | C．At 11: 00 pm | D．At 12: 00 pm |
Which of the following is true according to the passage?
| A．You have to pay to visit the museums. |
| B．Only clothing with brand names are sold in London . |
| C．You cannot find Chinese food there. |
| D．The public transport is poor there. |
Dear Editor,
I’m a Senior I student in a middle school. This term, my favorite teacher, Miss Mao, no longer teaches us. I want to see her, but I’m afraid that she no longer likes me and I don’t want to trouble her. I really miss her. What should I do?
Tian Yan
Dear Tian Yan,
It’s bad luck that you have lost your favorite teacher, But if she is still in your school , nothing can stop you going to see her. When she isn’t busy, ask her if she minds having a quick chat. You can then tell her she was your favorite teacher------ everyone is happy to know that they are liked!
If she has left the school, it will be more difficult to meet her. It will be hard, but remember people always come and go in their lives. We can’t rely on them to be with us all the time.
You may be sad to say goodbye to her, but we can remember and learn from her. Think of her best qualities.
You could also try looking for similar qualities in your other teachers. Study hard and give your new teacher a chance.In time, you might start to see that he or she has different qualities to learn from.
Finally, you can not completely rely on other people to get you through your studies , or even your life.
EditorThe letters are from________.
A book B newspaper C poster D advertisementWhich of the following does the editor advi
se Tuan Yan NOT to do?
A Find a time to see Miss Mao B Have a short chat with Miss Mao
C Tell Miss Mao she likes her D Keep quiet about the thing According to the passage, students can make progress in their studies _______.
A completely by their favorite teachers B completely by their favorite classmates
C mainly by their parentsD mainly by themselves