On a sunny day last August, Tim heard some shouting. Looking out to the sea carefully, he saw a couple of kids in a rowboat were being pulled out to sea.
Two 12-year-old boys, Christian and Jack, rowed out a boat to search for a football. Once they'd rowed beyond the calm waters, a beach umbrella tied to the boat caught the wind and pulled the boat into open water. The pair panicked and tried to row back to shore. But they were no match for it and the boat was out of control.
Tim knew it would soon be swallowed by the waves.
"Everything went quiet in my head," Tim recalls (回忆). "I was trying to figure out how to swim to the boys in a straight line."
Tim took off his clothes and jumped into the water. Every 500 yards or so, he raised his head to judge his progress. "At one point, I considered turning back," he says. "I wondered if I was putting my life at risk." After 30 minutes of struggling, he was close enough to yell to the boys, "Take down the umbrella!"
Christian made much effort to take down the umbrella. Then Tim was able to catch up and climb aboard the boat. He took over rowing, but the waves were almost too strong for him.
"Let's aim for the pier (码头)," Jack said. Tim turned the boat toward it. Soon afterward, waves crashed over the boat, and it began to sink. "Can you guys swim?" he cried. "A little bit," the boys said.
Once they were in the water, Tim decided it would be safer and faster for him to pull the boys toward the pier. Christian and Jack were wearing life jackets and floated on their backs. Tim swam toward land as water washed over the boys' faces.
“Are we almost there?" they asked again and again. "Yes," Tim told them each time.
After 30minutes, they reached the pier.Why did the two boys go to the sea?
| A．To go boat rowing. | B．To swim in the open water. |
| C．To get back their football. | D．To test the umbrella as a sail. |
What does "it" in Paragraph 2 refer to?
| A．The beach. | B．The wind. |
| C．The boat. | D．The water. |
Why did Tim raise his head regularly?
| A．To check his distance from the boys. |
| B．To consider turning back or not. |
| C．To take in enough fresh air. |
| D．To ask the boys to take down the umbrella. |
How did the two boys finally reach the pier?
| A．They were carried to the pier by Tim on his back. |
| B．They swam to the pier all by themselves. |
| C．They were washed to the pier by the waves. |
| D．They were dragged to the pier by Tim. |
Both my parents came from towns in Mexico. Then I was born in E1 Paso，Texas and when I was four, my family moved to a housing project in East Los Angeles.
Even though we struggled to make ends meet, my parents stressed to me and my four brothers and sisters how fortunate we were to live in a great country with limitless opportunities. They influenced us with the concepts of family, faith and nationalism.
I got my first real job when I was ten. My dad injured his back working in a cardboardbox factory and was retrained as a hairstylist. He rented space in a little shopping mall and gave his shop the fancy name of Mr.Ben’s Coiffure.
The owner of the shopping center gave Dad a discount on his rent for cleaning the parking lot three nights a week，which meant getting up at 3 a．m..To pick up rubbish, Dad used a little machine that looked like a lawn mower. Mom and I emptied garbage cans and picked up litter by hand. It took two to three hours to clean the lot. I’d sleep in the car on the way home.
I did this for two years，but the lessons I learned have lasted a lifetime. I acquired discipline and a strong work ethic(道德), and learned at an early age the importance of balancing life’s competing interests－in my case，school，homework and a job. This really helped during my senior year of a high school, when I worked 40 hours a week flip
ping burgers at a fastfood joint while taking a full load of college preparation courses.
The hard work paid off. I attended the U．S.Military Academy and went on to receive graduate degrees in law and business from Harvard. Later, I joined a big Los Angeles law firm and was elected to the California StateAssembly(州议会)．In these jobs and in everything else I’ve done, I have never forgotten those nights in the parking lot. The experience taught me that there is dignity in all work and that if people are working to provide for themselves and their families that is something we should honor.Before my father got injured，we________.
| A．didn’t like living in the USA | B．lived a poor but happy life |
| C．were lucky to move to the USA | D．had many ways to make money |
When he recovered，to make a living my father________.
| A．ran a small shopping mall | B．did a parttime job |
| C．worked as a barber | D．became a street cleaner |
Working in the parking lot for two years had tau
ght me________.
| A．how to obey school discipline | B．how to do two things well at a time |
| C．that discipline and work were of equal value | |
| D．that I must do as many things as possible at a time |
The au
thor tells us in the last paragraph that we should be proud of those who________.
| A．have done all kinds of jobs | B．are cleaning the parking lot |
| C．have achieved a lot in their lives | D．are bearing their responsibilities |
Do you ever run out of great books to read? So what should I read next? Is fast-paced crime fiction your thing? Try the new Patricia Cornwell book, Scarpetta (Putnam). She is such an able writer and handles complex forensic(法庭的) intelligence with ease. You need to be prepared, though, for the world you're entering—this isn't for the faint of heart, let's say.
If peace is more your thing, try Mary Pipher's wonderful new book, Seeking Peace:Chronicles of the Worst Buddhist in the World (Riverhead). Mary is a lovely, comfortable writer who takes the reader through her personal awakening after reputation and fortune came her way. Even if you've never experienced life as a bestselling writer (as she has done, in her book years back, Reviving Ophelia), you'll totally understand and sympathize with her renewed need for privacy, distance and quiet.
What if you want a straightforward, totally thrilling read with vivid characters, set about World War II? You cannot go wrong with Jim Lehrer's new novel, Oh, Johnny (Random House), about a young Marine whose life is changed forever when he meets a woman on his way to war. His relationship with her lasts him through danger and hardship, and there's an impressive ending. See our interview with the productive novelist/newsman in the current issue of Reader's Digest (March, on stands now), by the way, for insight into the very talented Mr. Lehrer and what interests him.
Well, what about something wickedly funny and totally offbeat? Does the name Carrie Fisher do anything for you? Try her vivid and new life in Hollywood and elsewhere, Wishful Drinking (Simon & Schuster). Be prepared for humor as sharp as knives. In which column will you probably find the above passage?
| A．Advice. | B．News story. |
| C．Advertisement. | D．Comments. |
What does the writer intend to tell us by the underlined sentence?
| A．The world is complex and hard. | B．Scarpetta is a thriller. |
| C．The fiction is hard to understand. | D．Society is hard to fit into. |
Which of the following is true of Mary Pipher?
| A．She is an adventurous writer. |
| B．She doesn’t care about fortune. |
| C．Her books normally sell well. |
| D．She can help you achieve writing skills. |
To get further information about Jim Lehrer, you may________.
| A．go to Reader’s Digest issued in March |
| B．go to Random House |
| C．analyze the characters in Oh, Johnny |
| D．read the novel Oh, Johnny |
Which book isn’t directly based on the writer’s own life?
| A．Seeking Peace. | B． Reviving Ophelia. |
| C．Wishful Drinking. | D．Oh, Johnny. |
New York State has passed the USA’s first state law banning motorists talking on hand-heldcell phones. The ban will begin November 1, although drivers caught using hand-held cell phones will be given only warnings during the first month.
First-time violators(违法者) will face a ＄100 fine. A second time call for a ＄200 fine and every violation after that will cost＄500.
At least a dozen localities(地方) have established bans, starting in 1999; and 40 states have had bans proposed but not passed. At least 23 countries, including the Great Britain, Italy, Israel and Japan, ban drivers from using hand-held cell phones.
There are about 115 million cell phones in use in the United States and more than 6 million in New York State.
“To think that I’m not going to use cell phone when at the same time I can still use my laptop, I still can read a paper, I can still change my pants(裤子) while driving 65 mph. I think there’s just something wrong,” an official said.
Other critics noted that other things like eating, drinking coffee and applying make-up while driving posed(造成) at least as much of a concern. They suggested that the ban include a broader range of things. How much fine will a hand-held cell phone user receive if he has been caught using it four times while driving after November?
| A．$500. | B．$1000. | C．$1200. | D．$1300. |
We can see from this passage that _______.
| A．the ban has been put into effect in most states in the U. S. |
| B．many of the developed countries forbid drivers using hand-held cell phones |
| C．over fifty localities or states ban drivers from using hand-held cell phones |
| D．more people in the U. S. are against the ban than for it |
The official mentioned in this passage _______.
| A．does not agree with this ban |
| B．doesn’t believe using hand-held cell phones while driving will cause any danger |
| C．doesn’t understand why hand-held cell phones alone should be banned among many others |
| D．believes changing pants while driving will cause greater danger |
The writer intends to tell us in the last paragraph that _______.
| A．it is not fair to have this ban passed |
| B．the ban will never be passed in the whole country |
| C．more activities of the same kind should also be banned |
| D．the ban will meet with more criticism |
This article is most probably taken from_______.
| A．a newspaper article | B．an advertisement |
| C．a personal diary | D．a letter |
“What’s in a name?”According to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, there is not too much. “That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. ”But Shakespeare may have been wrong. In most cultures, names matter a great deal.
Americans choose names for their children with care. Parents usually think about the impression a name gives, not its meaning. Most Americans would consider a“Jennifer”more attractive than a “Bertha”, for example. The last name, or, surname, must also be considered when choosing a first and middle name. A name like Lester Chester Hester would sound poetic, but odd. Parents would avoid names that remind them of people they don’t like. On the other hand, people might name their children after a respected elderly relative or even a famous person. The popularity of certain names can change with each new generation. Names that were once common, like Fanny or Elmer, sound old-fashioned today. But other names—like John and David, Mary and Sarah—have stood the test of time and continue to be favorites.
People in America don’t always call their friends and relatives by their given names. Instead, they often use nicknames. Sometimes nicknames are short forms of a longer name. For instance, a girl named Elizabeth may be called Lisa, Beth or Betsy. As children grow up, they may decide for themselves which nickname they wish to be called. Some people just go by the initials of their first and middle names, like B. J. or R. C. And of course, people may call their children or their sweethearts other special nicknames. Often they have a “sweet” flavor, like Honey or Sugar. What’s in a name? A world of significance. So if you’re choosing an English name for yourself, take care to choose a good one. A made-up name could sound strange to native English 
speakers. And a translation of your Chinese name may not make an appropriate name, either. But a good name can leave a positive and lasting impression. As an American politician once said,“In real life, unlike in Shakespeare, the sweetness of the rose depends
upon the name it bears.”What does the underlined sentence in paragraph 2 mean?
| A．People change names in order to be popular with the new generation. |
| B．Names will change by themselves in order to be popular. |
| C．Some names may no longer be popular among the new generation. |
| D．No names can stand the test of time. |
When choosing names, you should stick to the following principles except that _________.
| A．the impression a name gives is more important than its meaning |
| B．you can name after a well-known person |
| C．surname should be paid attention to |
| D．you can create a name that is special |
The word “initial” in paragraph 3 probably means .
| A．nickname | B．the first letter | C．short form | D．title |
The author will name a newly born baby girl .
| A．Bertha | B．Fanny | C．Yunyun | D．Elizabeth |
What is the main idea of this passage?
| A．Names have great significance to Americans. |
| B．Names change when time goes by. |
| C．Chinese people should be careful when choosing their English names. |
| D．Roses smell sweet by any other name. |
In America, when people say “man’s best friend”, they don’t mean another person. Instead, they are talking about a lovely animal：A dog! These words show the friendship between people and animals. Dogs and other pets can give happiness to people’s lives. Some people think of their pets as their children. A few even leave all their money to their pets when they die!
Animals can help people, too. Dogs can be taught to become the “eyes” for a blind person or “ears” for a deaf people. Scientists have found that pets help people live longer! They make people happier, too. Because of that, animals are brought into hospitals for “visit”.
Americans hold “Be-Kind-to-Animals Week” in the first week of May.
Pets shows are held during the week. Even if you don’t live in America, you, too, can do this. How? First, think about how animals make your life richer. If you have a pet, take more time this week to play with it. Remember to give it delicious food. Also, be sure to keep your pet from those unwanted babies.
If you don’t have a pet, be kind to animals around you. For example, if you see a street dog, don’t kick it or throw things at it. Instead, just leave it alone, or better yet, make friends with it. If others around you do bad things to an animal, try to stop them. As people, we must protect animals who can’t speak for themselves. “A few even leave all their money to their pets when they die!” means that__________
| A．pets have the right to inherit (继承) money. |
| B．money can give pets happiness. |
| C．it’s the best way to spend money. |
| D．some pets are taken as children. |
Why are dogs brought to hospitals?
| A．Because they are ill and need to see doctors. |
| B．Because they can make the patients happier. |
| C．Because they can find out the problems of the patients. |
| D．Because doctors can do experiments on them. |
What’s the most popular activity in the “Be-Kind-to-Animals Week”?
| A．Holding a pet show in the week. |
| B．Playing with pets the whole week. |
| C．Cooking delicious food for pets. |
| D．Making friends with other people’s pets. |
What’s the passage mainly about?
| A．A lot of people are interested in dogs. |
| B．Dogs can help people do many things. |
| C．Pets are lovely and need care and protection. |
| D．We have done a lot of things for pets. |
The words “man’s best friends” shows____________.
| A．the friendship between people. |
| B．the friendship between people and animals. |
| C．the friendship between animals. |
| D．the friendship between men and women |