Shay and his father had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, “Do you think they'll let me play?”Shay's father knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but the father also understood that if his son, mentally and physically disabled, were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence.
Shay's father approached one of the boys on the field and asked if Shay could play, not expecting much. The boy looked around and said, “We're losing by six runs (分) and the game is in the eighth inning (局).I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the final inning.
Shay struggled over to the team's bench and put on a team shirt with a broad smile and his father had a small tear in his eye and warmth in heart. The boys saw the father's joy at his son being accepted.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. In the top of the final inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously joyful just to be in the game and on the field. In the bottom of the final inning, Shay's team scored again. Now, Shay was scheduled to be next at bat. Would they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game?
Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was almost impossible. The first pitch (投) came and Shay missed. The pitcher again and again took a few steps forward to throw the ball softly towards Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher.
The pitcher could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman and Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game .Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the head of the first baseman, beyond the reach of all teammates, The audience and the players from both teams started screaming, “Shay, run to first!” Never in his life had Shay ever run that far but made it to first base, wide-eyed and shocked..
Everyone should, “Run to second!” Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second. By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the smallest guy on their team, who had a chance to be the hero for his team for the first time, could have thrown the ball to the second baseman, but he understood the pitcher's intentions and he too intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third baseman's head.
All were screaming，“Shay，Shay，Shay，all the way Shay.” Shay reached third base when one opposing player ran to help him and shouted, “Shay, run to third.” As Shay rounded third, all were on their feet, crying, “Shay, run home！”Shay ran to home, stepped on the home base and was cheered as the hero who the who won the game for his team.
That day, the boys from both teams helped bring a piece true love and humanity into this world. Shay didn't make it to another summer and died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making his father so happy and coming home and seeing his mother tearfully hug her little hero of the day! Not expecting much, Shay's father still asked the boy if Shay could play, mainly because the father _________.
| A．noticed some of the boys on the field were heisting |
| B．guessed his presence would affect the boy's decision |
| C．learned some of the boys on the field knew Shay well |
| D．understood Shay did need a feeling of being accepted |
In the bottom of the final inning Shay was given the bat because the boys _________.
| A．believed they were sure to win the game |
| B．would like to help Shay enjoy the game |
| C．found Shay was so eager to be a winner |
| D．fell forced to give Shay another chance |
The smallest boy threw the ball high and far over the third baseman's head, probably because that boy ________.
| A．was obviously aware of the pitcher's purpose |
| B．looked forward to winning the game for his team |
| C．failed to throw the ball to the second baseman |
| D．saw that Shay already reached second base |
Which of the following has nothing to do with Shay's becoming the hero for his team?
| A．The pitcher did not throw the ball to the first baseman. |
| B．The audience and the players from both teams cheered for him. |
| C．The opposing players failed to stop his running to home. |
| D．One of the opposing players ran to help him. |
What do you think is the theme of the story?
| A．True human nature could be realized in the way we treat each other. | B．Everyone has his own strength even if mentally or physically disabled. | C．Everyone can develop his team spirit in sports and please his parents. | D．The results of the game should not be the only concern of the players. |
“BANG!” the door caused a reverberation (回声)．It was just standing there, with Father standing on one side, and I on the other side．
We were both in great anger．“Never set foot in this house again!” stormed Father．With tears welling up in my eyes, I rushed out of the flat and ran along the street．
The street lights were shining rather desolately(凄凉的)．I wandered aimlessly．
A young father who held a child in his arms walked past me．I felt as if I saw my childhood from another space: happy and harmonious．
But now… I don’t know whether it is because I have grown up or because dad is getting old．We differ in our ways of thinking．He always imposes his opinions and codes of behavior on me．Whenever I do something wrong, he never admits it．We are just like two people coming from two different worlds．It feels like there is an iron door between us that can never be opened．
I wandered the streets, without a destination in mind．My heart was frozen on this hot summer night．As I walked on there were fewer and fewer people on the streets, until I had only the street lights to keep me company．When I finally reached the high-rise apartment block in which I lived, I saw that the light was still on．
In fact, it was nothing．Perhaps, dad was throwing away some of his old stamps．Perhaps he thought they were useless．I never had the courage to tell him that I liked collecting stamps．I can’t stand his outrageous(蛮横的) words: “ I can throw you away, let alone these old papers．”
All the lights were off except father’s．
Dad was always like this．Maybe he didn’t know how to express himself．After shouting at me, he never showed any mercy or any moments of regret．After an argument he has the habit of creeping up in my sleep and then tucking me underneath the covers．
This was how he always was．He has been a leader for so long that telling everyone else what to do has become his second nature．
The light was still on．“Am I wrong?” I whispered, maybe… With the key in hand, I was as nervous as I had ever been．At last, I decided to open the door．As soon as I opened the door, tears ran down my cheeks．I suddenly realized that the iron door that I had imagined between us did not exist at all．Love – is second to none．Decide which is the best order of the following according to what happened in the passage．
a．I opened the door and entered the house．
b．Sadly I ran out into the street．
c．I reached the place where I lived and saw my house still brightly lit．
d．I thought of my father’s kindness towards me．
e．I walked about in the street without any aim．
| A．b, e, d, c, a | B．b, e, c, d, a | C．b, e, a, c, d | D．b, e, c, a, d |
What made the writer think of his childhood?
| A．The sight of the desolate street lights． |
| B．The sight of the empty street． |
| C．The sight of a father with a child in his arms． |
| D．The sight of light in his own house． |
Why do you think the father often shouts at his son?
| A．Perhaps the father is getting older and older． |
| B．Perhaps the son has already grown up． |
| C．Perhaps they never agree with each other． |
| D．Perhaps the father has got used to doing that． |
What conclusion can you draw after reading the passage?
| A．The father is actually kind to his son． |
| B．The father treats his son in an unfair way． |
| C．The father is neither kind nor cruel to his son． |
| D．The father is always finding fault with his son． |
The year is 2094. It has been announced that a comet is heading towards the Earth. Most of it will miss our planet, but two pieces will probably hit the southern half of the Earth.
On 17 July, a piece four kilometers wide enters the Earth’s atmosphere with a massive explosion. About half of the piece is destroyed, but the remaining part hits the South Atlantic at 200 times the speed of sound. The sea boils and a huge hole is made in the sea bed. Huge waves are created and spread outwards from the hole. The wall of water, a kilometer high, rushes towards southern Africa at 800 kilometers an hour. Cities on the African coast are totally destroyed and millions of people drowned.
Before the waves reach South America, the second piece of the comet lands in Argentina. Earthquakes and volcanoes are set off in the Andes Mountains. The shock waves move north into California and all around the Pacific Ocean. The cities of Los Angeles, San Francisco and Tokyo are completely destroyed by earthquakes. Millions of people in the southern half of the Earth are already dead, but the north won’t escape for long. Because of the explosions, the sun is hidden by clouds of dust, temperatures around the world fall to almost zero. Crops are ruined. The sun won’t be seen again for many years. Wars break out as countries fight for food. A year later, no more than 10 million people remain alive.
Could it really happen? In fact, it has already happened more than once in the history of the Earth. The dinosaurs were on the Earth for over 160 million years. Then 65 million years ago they suddenly disappeared. Many scientists believe that the Earth was hit by a piece of object in space. The dinosaurs couldn’t live through the cold climate that followed and they died out. Will we meet the same end?What is mainly described in the passage?
| A．A historic discovery. | B．An event of imagination. |
| C．A research on space. | D．A scientific adventure. |
When the first piece hits the South Atlantic, it causes .
| A．an earthquake | B．damages to cities |
| C．an Earth explosion | D．huge waves |
Why can’t the northern half of the earth escape for long?
| A．Because the land is covered with water. |
| B．Because the light and heat from the sun can not reach the Earth. |
| C．Because people there can not live at the temperature of zero. |
| D．Because wars break out among countries. |
By giving the example of dinosaurs, the author tries to prove .
| A．animals could not live in the cold climate |
| B．what happened 65 million years ago was an invented story |
| C．the human beings will die out in 2094 |
| D．the Earth could be hit by other objects in space |
Researchers in London and Bristol have found that men are particularly likely to yield to depression if their partners are also depressed.
The finding highlights the importance of paying attention to the partners of depressed mothers, as young children themselves are vulnerable (容易受伤的) to social problems if both parents are depressed.
Researchers in London and at the University of Bristol launched their study to investigatewhether family structure affects the likelihood of depression in men around the time their child isborn. They looked at men from traditional families, men with children from a previous relationship, men whose partners had children by a former partner, and men who were not living with their partners.
All 7,108 participants filled out a questionnaire on depression, and answered questions about their age, education level and employment status. Details about the quality of their relationships with their partners, networks of friends and previous life events were also recorded.
About 3.5 percent of the men and 13 percent of their partners suffered depression around the time their child was born. While men in stepfamilies or who were not living with their partners were twice as likely to get depressed as those in traditional families, this could be explained by other factors that are more common in nontraditional families, such as poor education and relationship conflicts.
Even allowing for all these factors, however, the partners of women who were suffering from prenatal (围产期的) depression were significantly more likely to become depressed themselves, the researchers report in an American journal. Ten percent of women who were depressed had depressed partners. For the healthy women, the figure was only 2.6 percent.
Previous research suggests that families with two depressed parents may need special attention. A researcher in Atlanta has found that primary school children with two troubled parents have difficulty relating to their peers. “It’s extremely important to look at the whole family.” she says.What can we conclude from the first two paragraphs of this passage?
| A．Men often beat their children. |
| B．Depressed women often have depressed partners. |
| C．All young children are vulnerable to social problems. |
| D．Women with children often have depressed partners. |
Why did researchers in London and Bristol carry out such an investigation?
| A．To see what kind of family environment is ideal for children to grow up in. |
| B．To study whether family structure affects depression in men when their child is born. |
| C．To investigate why so many men get depressed when a child is born. |
| D．To see whether it is true that behind every depressed man there is a depressed woman. |
What kind of men is least likely to get depressed when their child was born?
| A．Men in stepfamilies. |
| B．Men who were not living with their partners. |
| C．Men in traditional families. |
| D．Men in nontraditional families. |
According to the passage, which of the following statements is NOT true?
| A．Ten percent of women who were depressed had depressed partners. |
| B．2.6 percent of healthy women were depressed. |
| C．Special attention should be paid to families in which both the father and the mother were depressed. |
| D．Primary school children whose parents were both depressed couldn’t get along well withtheir peers. |
(B)
| HOW TO BOOK Booking opens for  Becket Shorts on 8 SeptemberBooking opens for all other plays on 19 September  BY TELEPHONEFor credit card bookings. Calls are answered. BOX OFFICE 01789 295623 9 a.m.— 8 p.m. (Mon—Sat) 0541 541051 (24 hours, 7 days, no booking charge). BY FAX For credit card bookings. Please allow at least 48 hours for reply, if required. BOX OFFICE 0178 26874 or 01862 387765 BY POST Please enclose a check or credit card details together with an SAE or add 50p to the total amount to cover postage. Please send to the Box Office, RST, Stratford-upon-Avon, CV37 6BB. IN PERSON BOX OFFICE RST hall, 9:30 a.m.—8 p.m. (Mon—Sat) (6 p.m. when theaters are closed.) OVERSEAS BOOKING The easiest method of payment is by credit card. You can also pay by: Eurocheque (up to 500) with your card number written on the back.  PAYING FOR YOUR TICKETS CREDIT CARDS We accept Visa, Master Card, American Express and Diners Club. Please give the card number, name and address of card-holder. CHEQUES Cheques and postal orders should be payable to: Royal Shakespeare Theatre. |
In which of the following ways of booking does one probably have to pay extra money?
| A．In person. | B．By telephone. | C．By fax. | D．By post. |
“Becket Shorts” is most probably referred to the name of ________.
| A．a film | B．a credit card | C．a play | D．an old building |
What is the useful number to call at 11 a.m. Sunday?
| A．01789 295623 | B．0541 541051 |
| C．01789 261174 | D．01862 387665 |
The advertisement is most probably made by _________.
| A．a local post office | B．American Express |
| C．Royal Shakespeare Theatre | D．Dinners Club |
Many years ago, when I was fresh out of school and working in Denver, I was driving to my parents’ home in Missouri for Christmas. I stopped at a gas station about 50 miles from Oklahoma City, where I was planning to stop and visit a friend. While I was standing in line at the cash register I said hello to an older couple who were also paying for gas.
I took off, but had gone only a few miles when black smoke poured from the back of my car. I stopped and wondered what I should do. A car pulled up behind me. It was the couple I had spoken to at the gas station. They said they would take me to my friend’s. We chatted on the way into the city, and when I got out of the car, the husband gave me his business card.
I wrote him and his wife a thank-you note for helping me. Soon afterward, I received a Christmas present from them. Their note that came with it said that helping me had made their holiday meaningful.
Years later, I drove to a meeting in a nearby town in the morning. In late afternoon I returned to my car and found that I’d left the lights on all day, and the battery was dead. Then I noticed that the Friendly Ford dealership --- a shop selling cars --- was right next door. I walked over and found two salesmen in the show room.
“Just how friendly is Friendly Ford?” I asked and explained my trouble. They quickly drove a pickup truck to my car and started it. They would accept no payment, so when I got home, I wrote them a note to say thanks. I received a letter back from one of the salesmen. No one had ever taken the time to write him and say thank you, and it meant a lot, he said.
“Thank you”--- two powerful words. They’re easy to say and mean so much.The author planned to stop at Oklahoma City ________.
| A．to drop in on a friend | B．to see his parents |
| C．to pay at the cash register | D．to make a plan with his friend |
The words “took off” underlined in Paragraph 2 means “_________”.
| A．moved off | B．turned off | C．put up | D．set up |
What happened when the author found smoke coming out of his car?
| A．He had it pulled back to the gas station. |
| B．The couple sent him a business card |
| C．The couple offered to help him. |
| D．He called his friend for help. |
By telling his own experiences, the author tries to show _______.
| A．how to write a thank-you letter |
| B．how to deal with car problem |
| C．the kind-heartedness of older people |
| D．the importance of expressing thanks. |