In December of l 992.I was a happy husband and father of two young children.A month later,I was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia(急性白血病).
After two years of chemo(化疗)that helped control the disease,my body was weak and lifeless.I felt as if I were a puppet who needed help to lift his arms or hold up his head.
I began to run.After six months my strength had come back.On one of my runs,one where I felt I could run forever,I decided I was going to try to run a marathon.
After telling my Dad about my plan,he told me of a program that trains people to run a marathon,while raising funds for Leukemia research at the same time.So that summer,through the Leukemia Society’s Team in Training program,I started to train for the Marine Corps Marathon.During mile after mile of uncertainty,the day finally came to run the marathon.
On October 27,1996,at 8 A.M.,along with l9,000 other brave souls I started on a 26.2-mile journey that I will never forget.
I first saw my wife Patty at the six-mile mark . She seemed happy that I was still looking as if I knew what I was doing,and having a good time doing it.At Mile l7,my mind was going back to those two horrible years that tried to bring my family and me down.I saw her again.The concern in her face told me she knew I was starting to struggle.I felt as if we were thinking the same,nine more miles and these last few years will be behind us.
That thought alone pulled me forward.Mile 22,23,slowing but going,24,25,then there it was.The Iwo Jima War Memorial.I have seen nothing so grand and inspiring in my life.Three hours and forty-one minutes after I started,I crossed what I think has to be the most fitting finish line in all of road racing!
That night the Leukemia Society gave me a pin at a post-race party that simply says,“Leukemia 26.2”.
If God wills,my cancer may once again take away my hair and my strength,maybe even my life.But it can never take away my pin,or the fact that I am a marathoner .The writer decided to run a marathon because __________ .
A.he wanted to raise money for Leukemia research |
B.he believed he was able to take the challenge |
C.he hoped to recover his strength through training |
D.his dad knew about the race and made the suggestion |
Which statement is RIGHT about the writer?
A.He has always been dreaming of becoming a marathoner. |
B.The training he took that summer well prepared him for the race. |
C.Those running in the race were mostly Leukemia patients like him . |
D.His wife was with him during the marathon to give him support. |
Why does the writer think the finish line is the most fitting?
A.Because running a marathon is the most suitable sport for him. |
B.Because the memorial is the most powerful construction he has seen. |
C.Because he considers it a victory over his disease to finish the race. |
D.Because 26.2 miles is the most reasonable distance for road racing. |
Which of the following can best describe the writer?
A.Optimistic and outspoken | B.Strong-willed and determined |
C.Generous and easy-going | D.Brave and warm-hearted |
Some people bring out the best in you in a way that you might never have fully realized on your own.My mother was one of those people.
My father died when I was one-year-old.While I was growing up, we led a very hard life, but my mom gave me a lot of love.Each night, she seated me on her lap and, spoke the words that would change my life, "Kemmons, you are sure to be a great man and you can do anything in life if you work hard enough to get it."
At fourteen, I was hit by a car and the doctors said that I would never walk again.Every night my mother spoke to me in her gentle, loving voice, telling me whatever those doctors said, I could walk again if I wanted to.She drove that message so deep into my heart that I finally believed her.A year later, I walked on my own to school!
When the Great Depression broke out, my mother lost her job.Then I left school to support the two of us.At that moment I decided never to be poor again.
Over the years, I experienced a lot of business success.But the real turning point happened on a vacation I took with my wife and five kids in 1951.I was dissatisfied with the second-class hotels available for families and was very angry that they charged an extra $2 for each child.That was too expensive for an ordinary American family.I told my wife that I was going to open a motel (汽车旅馆) for families that would never charge extra money for children.Many people did not believe me at that time.
Not surprisingly, mom was my strongest supporter.As in any business, I experienced a lot of difficulties.But with my mom's words in my heart, I never doubted I would succeed.Fifteen years later, I had the largest hotel system in the world—Holiday Inn.In 1979 my company had 1,759 inns in more than fifty countries with an income of $l billion a year.
You may not have started out life in the best situations.But if you find a task in life worth working for and believe in yourself, nothing can stop you.
1.What Kemmon's mother often told him during his childhood was____.
A.caring B.moving C.encouraging D.interesting
2.Who played the most important role in making the author walk back to school again?
A.Doctors. B.Nurses. C.His friend. D.His mom.
3.What caused Kemmon to start a motel by himself?
A.His terrible experience in the hotel. B.His wife's suggestion.
C.His previous business success. D.His mom's support.
4.Which of the following best describes Kemmon's mother?
A.Modest, helpful and hard-working.
B.Loving, supportive and strong-willed.
C.Careful, beautiful and helpful.
D.Strict, sensitive and supportive.
5.Which of the following led to Kemmon's success?
A.Self-confidence, hard work, higher education and a poor family.
B.Mom's encouragement, clear goals, self-confidence and hard work.
C.Clear goals, mom's encouragement, a poor family and higher education.
D.Mom's encouragement, a poor family, higher education and opportunities.
The United States will introduce a new exam system for students who seek to study in the USA and other English-speaking countries, Xinhua News Agency reported from New York.
The exam, which means a great change from the current English level test, was introduced by Theresa Jen, associate director of the International Service of the USA College Board, America's leading educational organization.
"The Advanced Placement International English Language (APIEL) will be offered for the first time all over the world on May 10, 2012," said Jen.
However, the APIEL is a strange title to most Chinese students, and it is unlikely to soon gain the similarity of other already existing exams, such as the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), the GRE (Graduate Record Examination), or the IELTS (International English Language Testing System).
"I have never heard of such a test and I would prefer the IELTS if I need another exam," said Xu Jingyan, a graduating student from Beijing University, who wants to study in England and has already taken the TOEFL.
Most of Xu's classmates have never heard of the APIEL."The APIEL is made for international students who wish to get university studies in English-speaking countries, including the United States, Britain, Canada and Australia." Jen said.
"The APIEL will be used," said Jen, "because the TOEFL can no longer perfectly show the students' abilities of using English." Xinhua reported that a large number of foreign students who had high scores in TOEFL exam turned out to be very ordinary educational performers after being admitted.
"Compared with the TOEFL, the APIEL measures a student's ability to read, write, speak and understand 'English through testing his or her skills in listening comprehension, speaking with fluency, and writing in an organized way." Jen said.
1.The underlined word "current" in the second paragraph means____.
A.high B.present C.low D.formal
2.We can learn from the passage that____.
A.the TOEFL is more popular with the Chinese than the IELTS
B.it will take quite a period of time for people to accept the APIEL
C.Chinese students will prefer the IELTS rather than the APIEL even in the future
D.a student will have to take the APIEL if he/ she wants to study in English-speaking countries from 2012
3.The APIEL is designed for students who want to study in English-speaking countries, such as____.
A.the United States and Canada B.Canada and Ireland
C.Australia and India D.Britain and France
4.According to the passage, the United States will introduce a new exam because____.
A.it will bring the US government quite a lot of money
B.more and more students want to get further education in the USA
C.the existing exam systems can no longer perfectly show the students' abilities
D.the Chinese pay special attention to English studies with China's entry into the WTO
5.Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?
A.A New Exam Designed for Students
B.The Four Skills in Learning English
C.The Key to English-speaking Countries
D.TOEFL, IELTS and GRE to Be out of Date
Diary of a Do-It-Yourself Book
This book based on Greg Hefley's own "diary" lets kids express themselves in an exciting way.In the book, kids will be asked: What was the best dream you have ever had? The worst thing you have ever eaten? The best secret you have ever heard? This Do-It-Yourself Book is unique and special because it has blank pages for readers to write their own stories and keep their own diaries.
Author: Jeff Kinney
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Train to Somewhere
Marianne, heading west with fourteen other children on a train, is sure her mother will show up at one of the stations along the way. Stop after stop goes by, and there is no sign of her mother in the crowds that come to look over the children. No one shows any interest in adopting shy Marianne, either. But th at is all right. She has to he free for her mother to claim her. Then the train stopped at its final stop, a town called Somewhere…
Author: Eve Bunting
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Chinese Children's Favorite Stories
This volume of beloved Chinese stories contains a delightful selection from the store of Chinese legend. Discover many delightful animal characters as well as Change and Guan Yin. Retold for an international audience, the stories with beautiful pictures will give children aged ix to ten in other countries a chance to learn about both the tradition and culture of China.
Author: Mingmei Yip
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The Way Science Works
The perfect introduction to show how science explains the world around us! Eye-opening experiments and extraordinary photography bring science to life.Discover science in action from the principles that explain everyday facts to the theories behind the technology in today's fast-moving world. Full of facts about famous scientists, technology news and more.
Author: Robin Kerrod
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1.Diary of a Do – It – Yourself Book is different from other books because you can .
A.ask the author questionsB.write your own stories in the book
C.have a chance to see beautiful photos D.read many interesting stories about the author
2.Amazon.com gives no discount on .
A.Diary of a Do-It-Yourself Book B.Train to Somewhere
C.Chinese Children’s Favorite Stories D.The Way Science Works
3.Based on Train to Somewhere, how many children head west on the train.
A.15. B.14. C.13. D.16.
4.Chinese Children's Favorite Stories is written for____
A.Chinese children aged 6 to 10 B.teenagers in other countries
C.junior students in other countries D.foreign children aged 6 to 10
5.Whose book would you like to read if you are interested in science and technology?
A.Jeff Kinney’s.B.Eve Bunting's.
C.Mingmei Yip’s.D.Robin Kerrod’s.
第三部分阅读理解(共20小题;每小题2分,满分40分)
阅读下列短文,从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中,选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Bend over, take a deep breath and drink some water! This is just one of hundreds of tips you might get if you have the hiccups (打嗝).Hiccups are so mysterious.We really don't know why they start and why they stop.
Everyone has a favorite cure for a case of the hiccups.Some people think that a good scare is necessary to get well.Others eat a teaspoon of sugar.Still others drink a glass of water with a knife in it.
An American man named Jack O'Leary said he had hiccupped 160 million times over a period of eight years.He tried 60,000 cures, but none of them worked.At last he prayed to Saint Jude, the saint of Hopeless cases, and his hiccupping stopped immediately.
It took a British plumber eight months to cure his hiccups.People from all over the world wrote him letters with suggestions for getting well.He tried them all, but the hiccups continued.Finally, he drank a "secret" mixture someone had sent him.By that evening his hiccups were gone.
Why did these cures work for these two men? No one really knows.But people who have studied many cases of hiccups have an idea—hiccups usually go away if you believe in the cure.
1.How did Jack O'Leary stop his hiccups?
A.He took a deep breath.B.He prayed to Saint Jude.
C.He ate a teaspoon of sugar. D.He drank a "secret" mixture.
2.The British plumber spent _ ___in stopping his hiccups.
A.4 hours B.2 days C.8 months D.8 years
3. might be the best cure for hiccups according to the passage.
A.Cold water B.A spoonful of salt
C.Special pills D.What you believe in
4.From this passage, we can learn ____.
A.Saint Jude is an expert in curing the hiccups
B.the reason why the hiccups start and why the hiccups stop
C.some people think that a good scare is a cure for a case of hiccups
D.the British plumber drank a "secret" mixture given by an experienced doctor and then became well
5.What is the main idea of this passage?
A.Different ways to stop hiccups. B.What makes hiccups happen.
C.How to get hiccups.D.Jack O'Leary's hiccups.
A proverb(谚语) is a short 、well-known saying that expresses a common truth or belief. Proverbs are popular around the world. Many proverbs give advice on how to live. Some proverbs are hundreds of years old, but they are still used today.
For example, my son is just like his father in many ways. We often say the two of them prove the proverb that the apple does not fall far from the tree.
My daughter is very short. She would like to be taller. But I tell her that good things come in small packages. Some valuable things are very small, like diamonds and other jewels. But I also tell my children that all that glitters is not gold. Something may look valuable, but may not really be valuable. Also, I tell them do not judge a book by its cover. You should not judge something only by its appearance.
Sometimes I tell my children to cooperate to solve a problem. After all, two heads are better than one. But another proverb says too many cooks spoil (弄坏) the soup. If too many people try to do something, then the job will not be done well.
I also tell my children that two wrongs do not make a right. You should not do something bad just because someone did the same to you.
Some people are pessimists while other people are optimists(乐观派). Pessimists always think about how bad things are or will be; optimists might say that every cloud has a silver lining(衬里) and they always look on the bright side. Other people are both pessimists and optimists. They hope for the best and prepare for the worst.
Some people often worry about what they will do in a situation that might happen in the future. We could tell them do not cross that bridge until you come to it.
It is usually much better to prevent a problem from happening than to find ways to solve it. So we say an ounce(盎司) of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
1. The author often comforts(安慰) her daughter with the proverb that ____.
A. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
B. Good things come in small packages
C. Too many cooks spoil the soup
D. Two heads are better than one
2. If someone says “two heads are better than one”, he means____.
A. jobs will be done better if two work together
B. a problem will be solved easily by many people
C. jobs won’t be done well if there are too many people
D. you can’t do something bad even if someone else does it
3. The underlined word “pessimists” in the sixth paragraph refers to those people_____.
A. who always look on the bright side
B. who always expect bad things to happen
C. who are always full of hope for the future
D. who always make preparations for the worst
4. Which of the following are optimists likely to say?
A. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure
B. We hope for the best and prepare for the worst
C. Don’t cross the bridge until you come to it.
D. Every cloud has a silver lining