Her frozen fingers touched the flame trying to feel alive. She could feel the warmth but it was a cold heat, as if the candle was rejecting her.
Her arms turned red because of the cold, her short sleeved shirt not giving her enough warmth. The winter air grabbed(抓住) at her arms, causing her pain, but she didn’t mind. She knew she should put her jacket on, it was winter in Connecticut, but that would be giving up. Up here, in this tree she felt safe.
She looked at the candle, surrounded by hardening wax(蜡). She placed her fingers gently on the warm green wax. This candle was a reminder of her life inside that house, a life she would have to return to eventually.
As a child, she had gotten this candle. She spent all she had on it. The beautiful crystal box （水晶盒）had caught her eye. Five whole nickels（五分币） had brought her that candle.
She gave it to her mother for Mother’s Day. Her mother had managed a smile and put it on a shelf. “It’s very pretty, honey! I will put it right here.” Since then that candle had never been moved, never been lighted, sitting dusty on a cluttered shelf that no one could see. Later on, her parents got divorced.
By now the candle was colder than the air and the darkness was complete. The snow on the ground made the night lighter and less satisfying than it had been before the first snowfall. She liked the darkness because she felt safe in it. From the glances of her friends who liked the girl she used to be. From the boys who could never figure out who she was. From her guidance counselor(顾问) whose endless worried looks never made her feel any better.
No one was outside at this time of night. She was alone in the world, just how she liked it. Just as she was about to lean back against the branch, she heard a sound.
She heard footsteps breaking the ice in the snow, heading toward her. He was making his way toward the white fence at the edge of the building, right against the road. Normally she would have ignored this person and stayed on her branch faraway from human contact, but this figure had something with him. He trudged(吃力地走) toward the white fence carrying a case. The figure reached the fence, opened the case and took out a shiny object.
She took her eyes off this figure only long enough to climb down the tree to get a better view of him. She reached the bottom and saw that the person had turned to face the street, sitting on the white fence that she and her friends once sat on. She stepped carefully on the ice, making her way toward him.
And then a beautiful sound of music came from the shiny object. She stopped and listened to it. She started walking towards the guy again. Just as she was about to step onto the snow banks, she slipped on the ice crashing to the ground. The figure turned around in surprise and a sudden recognition fell upon them both.The girl was hiding in the tree at deep night to ______.
| A．keep herself from the cold |
| B．wait for the boy to come |
| C．want to be left alone |
| D．seek safety from any hurt |
From the story, we can learn that ______.
| A．the girl suffered a lot in her life |
| B．the girl’s parents divorced because of her |
| C．teachers and friends treated the girl badly |
| D．the girl used to stay in the tree when feeling sad |
The underlined word “it” in the story refers to ______.
| A．leaning back against the branch |
| B．being alone in the world |
| C．not being disturbed at night |
| D．it being dark with snow around |
From the end of the story, it can be known that the girl _______.
| A．knew the person |
| B．knew what the object was |
| C．realized her wishes |
| D．would never feel alone any more |
It was a village in India. The people were poor. However, they were not unhappy. After all, their forefathers had lived in the same way for centuries.
Then one day. Some visitors from the city arrived. They told the villagers there were some people elsewhere who liked to eat frog's legs. However, they did not have enough frogs of their own, and so they wanted to buy frogs from other places.
This seemed like money for nothing. There were millions of frogs in the fields around, and they were no use to the villagers. All they had to do was catch them. Agreement was reached, and the children were sent into the fields to catch frogs. Every week a truck arrived to collect the catch and hand over the money. For the first time, the people were able to dream of a better future, but the dream didn't last long.
The change was hardly noticed at first, but it seemed as if the crops were not doing so well. More worrying was that the children fell ill more often, and, there seemed to be more insects around lately.
The villagers decided that they couldn't just wait to see the crops failing and the children getting weak. They would have to use the money earned to buy pesticides(杀虫剂) and medicines. Soon there was no money left.
Then the people realized what was happening. It was the frog. They hadn't been useless. They had been doing an important job—eating insects. Now with so many frogs killed, the insects were increasing more rapidly. They were damaging the crops and spreading diseases.
Now, the people are still poor. But in the evenings they sit in the village square and listen to sounds of insects and frogs. These sounds of the night now have a much deeper meaning. From paragraph 1 we learn that the villagers ________.
| A．worked very hard for centuries |
| B．dreamed of having a better life |
| C．were poor but somewhat content（满意的） |
| D．lived a different life from their forefathers |
Why did the villagers agree to sell frogs?
| A．The frogs were easy money. |
| B．They needed money to buy medicine. |
| C．They wanted to please the visitors. |
| D．The frogs made too much noise. |
What might be the cause of the children's sickness?
| A．The crops didn't do well. |
| B．There were too many insects. |
| C．The visits brought in diseases. |
| D．The pesticides were overused. |
In America, drivers’ education is part of the regular high school curriculum(课程). Every student in his or her second year of high school is required to take a class in driver’s education. However, unlike other courses, it is not given during the regular school year. Instead it is a summer course.
The course is divided up into two parts: class time for learning laws and regulations, and driving time to practise driving. Class time is not unlike any other class. The students study the basic traffic laws from a text to pass the written driving test that is given to anyone who wants to get a driver’s license.
Driving time is a chance for the students to get behind the wheel (steering wheel) and practise starting steering, backing up, parking, switching lanes, turning corners, and all the other maneuvers (操作) required to drive a car. Each student is required to drive a total of six hours.The students are divided up into groups of four. The students and the instructor go out driving for two hour blocks of time. Thus, each student gets half an hour driving time per outing. The instructor and “driver” sit in the front seats and the other three students sit in the back.
After the student has passed the driver’s education course and reached the appropriate age to drive(this age differs in every state but in most cases the person must be 16 years old),they can go to a designated(指定的) state office to take their driver’s test, which is made up of an eye examination, a written test, and a road test. The person must pass all three tests in order to be given a driver’s license. If the person does well in his or her driver’s education class, he or she will pass the test with flying colors and get a driver’s license.In America, the driver’s course mentioned above.
| A．is considered as part of the advanced education. |
| B．is given to anyone wanting to get a driver’s license. |
| C．is carried on at the same time as other courses |
| D．is offered to all the students of Grade 2 in high schools |
We can infer that the students are required to_________in their whole driving practice.
| A．spend at least six hours driving |
| B．get half an hour driving |
| C．drive for two hour blocks of time |
| D．go out driving for tweleve times |
Which of the following is Not True for the students wanting to get their driver’s license?
| A．They must have their eyes examined. |
| B．They must be 16 years of age. |
| C．They should go to have their driver’s test. |
| D．They ought to do well in their driver’s course. |
In the last sentence, “with flying colors” means.
| A．happily | B．quickly | C．colorfully | D．successfully |
Mother-of-three Carmen Blake called her midwife(助产师)to ask for an ambulance when she went into labor unexpectedly with her fourth child.
But the 27-year-old claims she was refused an ambulance and told to walk the 100m from her house in Leicester to the city’s nearby Royal Infirmary(医院).
Her daughter Mariah was delivered on a pavement outside the hospital by a passer-by, just before ambulance crews arrived.
Ms Blake said she started going into labor at about 7:15 am on Sunday, August 2. She said, “I phoned up the Royal Infirmary, it’s just across the road.
“I went into the bath and realized she was gong to come quickly. I didn’t think I’d be able to make it out of the bath, so I phoned the maternity(妇产科的) ward back and told them to get an ambulance out.”
They said they were not sending an ambulance and told me I had had nine months to sort out a lift.
Experienced mother MS Blake today said she knew she had to get herself out of the bath and try to get to the hospital.
Eventually MS Blake and her friends enlisted the help of a physiotherapist(理疗师) who happened to be passing on her way to work. She dialed 999 and helped deliver baby Mariah while waiting for emergency services.
Ms Blake said despite the happy ending she was upset she was told to make her own way to the hospital as, being an experienced mum, she knew she did not have the time.
Today a government spokeswoman said, “We are disappointed that Ms Blake was not happy with the advice and care she received and will of course investigate any complaint. We are pleased that both Ms Blake and her daughter are well and healthy.” Carmen Blake, the 27-year-old mother, gave girth to her new child Mariah .
| A．in the city’s Royal Infirmary |
| B．in the ambulance on her way to hospital |
| C．out of the bath at home |
| D．in the street on her way to hospital |
The underline3d phrase “went into labor” in the first paragraph probably means .
| A．felt worried | B．felt tired | C．gave birth to | D．went to sleep |
It can be inferred that .
| A．there were not enough ambulance in the Royal Infirmary |
| B．the story ended with a sad ending |
| C．the maternity ward said Ms Blake only needed a lift |
| D．the maternity ward said Ms Blake ought to call earlier |
Carmen Blake accused the Royal Infirmary of.
| A．failing to send an ambulance to help her |
| B．having killed her newly-born baby |
| C．not taking good care of her and her baby |
| D．refusing to admit her into the hospital |
A hobby can be almost anything a person likes to do in his spare time. Hobbyists raise pets, build model ships, weave baskets, watch birds, hunt animals, climb mountains, raise flowers, fish, ski, skate, and swim. Hobbyists also paint pictures, attend concerts and plays, and perform on musical instruments. They collect everything from books to butterflies, and from shells to stamps.
People take up hobbies because these activities offer enjoyment, friendship, knowledge, and relaxation. Sometimes they even produce financial profit(利润). Hobbies help people balance between work and play. Hobbies also offer interesting activities for persons who have retired. Anyone, rich or poor, old or young, sick or well, can follow a satisfying hobby, regardless of (不论)his age, position, or income.
Hobbies can help a person’s mental and physical health. Doctors have found that hobbies are valuable in helping patients recover from physical or mental illness. Hobbies give bedridden or wheel-chair patients something to do, and provide interests that keep them from thinking about themselves. Many hospitals treat patients by having them take up interesting hobbies or pastimes.
In early times, most people were too engaged in making a living to have many hobbies. But some persons who had leisure(休闲)did enjoy hobbies. The ancient Egyptians played games with balls made of wood or pottery.
People today have more time than ever before for hobbies. Machines have reduced the amount of time they must spent on their jobs. Hobbies provide variety for workers who do the same monotonous(单调的) tasks all day long. More people are retiring than ever before, and at an earlier age. Those who have developed hobbies never need to worry about what to do with their newly found leisure hours.
Sir William Osier, a famous Canadian doctor, expressed the value of hobbies by saying, “No man is really happy or safe without a hobby.”It seems that people whomay spend more time enjoying their hobbies.
| A．have little money | B．have much money |
| C．have retired from their work | D．have left school |
The underlined phrase “recover from” in the third paragraph means.
| A．get back | B．become healthy again |
| C．become calm | D．supply with a new cover |
In early times, most people spent less time on their hobbies, because.
| A．they were busy in making a living |
| B．they suffered from illnesses. |
| C．they were brave and hard-working |
| D．they were not interested in them. |
What’s the writer’s opinion about hobbies?
| A．People all over the world have the same hobby. |
| B．Machines also have their hobbies. |
| C．Hobbies are popular among people in Egypt. |
| D．People should have hobbies in their spare time. |
Full face transplants are no longer science fiction fantasy, a leading surgeon has said, adding that they are technically practical but ethically（道德地）complex.
Peter Butler from London’s Royal Free Hospital called for a debate on the ethics of such an operation made possible by new drugs which stop the body’s immune (免疫）system rejecting a transplanted face. “It is not ‘can you do it?’ but ‘should we do it?’” he told the BBC. “The technical part is not complex, but I don’t think that’s going to be the very great difficulty. The ethical and moral debate is obviously going to have to take place before the first facial transplantation.”
The British Association of Plastic Surgeons will discuss the microsurgical procedure (微型外科技术), which could give new skin, bone, nose, chin, lips and ears from deceased donors to patients disfigured（毁容的）by accidents, burns or cancer. But surgeons could have trouble finding enough willing donors. Butler said his survey of doctors, nurses and members of the public showed most would accept a face transplant but few were willing to donate their own after dying.
Despite a number of ethical concerns, Christine Piff, who founded the charity Let’s Face It after suffering a rare facial cancer 25 years ago, welcomed the possibility of face transplants. She rejected the idea that the procedure would mean people would end up living with a dead person’s face. “There are so many people without faces, I have half a face… but we are all so much more than just a face… you don’t take on their personality. You are still you,” she told reporters. “If we can donate other organs of the body then why not the face. I can’t see anything wrong with it.”The underlined word “deceased” in the third paragraph probably means _________.
| A．living | B．dead | C．diseased | D．dying |
When Christine Piff says “There are so many people without faces…”, she refers to the people _________.
| A．who are dishonorable and shameless |
| B．who disagree with the full face transplant |
| C．who are seriously injured by an accident |
| D．who are disfigured by accidents, burns and cancer |
According to the passage, what makes it likely to carry out a facial transplantation?
| A．Drugs are available to stop the body’s immune system rejecting a transplanted face. |
| B．There are some people who are willing to donate their faces after dying. |
| C．Most people accept the idea of face transplants. |
| D．It’s morally practical, though technically complex. |
What is implied but not stated in the passage?
| A．Christine Piff has been the first lucky patient to receive a face transplant. |
| B．Surgeons have difficulty finding enough willing donors. |
| C．The main difficulty with the operation lies in the matter of ethics and morality. |
| D．Nobody other than Christine Piff is quite in favor of the donation of organs. |
What would be the best title for the text?
| A．First Facial Transplantation |
| B．Debate on the Ethics of Transplant |
| C．Face Transplant No Longer Science Fantasy |
| D．Let’s Face It |