"They tell me that you'd like to make a statue（塑像）of me﹣is that correct，Miss Vinnie Ream？"
The deep，gentle voice helped calm the nervous girl．Asking a favor of the President of the United States was no casual matter，especially for a seventeen﹣year﹣old girl．
"Yes，sir，" she replied，her dark eyes meeting his．"I wouldn't have dared to ask you，but my teacher，Mr． Mills，says I am ready．I plan to make it in an admirable manner． "
President Lincoln smiled．"Painters，sculptors﹣they've all tried to make the best of this ordinary face，but I'm afraid there's not much hope．What did you have in mind，Miss Ream？A bust（半身像）？"
Before Vinnie could say yes，the President hurried on，a shade of apology in his voice．"Of course﹣I shouldn't have asked．A full﹣length pose would be much too big a project for a young woman your size． "
Vinnie's face turned red．She realized she looked like a child，with her tiny figure．"Small does not mean weak，sir，" she defended herself．"I was born in the country of Wisconsin．I've driven teams of horses and carried water．Making a full﹣length clay（粘土）figure would not exhaust my strength﹣and that is what I intend to do!"
The President's eyes，brightened at her show of spirit．"Sorry，madam，I have underestimated you as I didn't know your background．"
But his smile faded as he rubbed his beard with bony fingers，in thought．"Miss Ream，" he sighed，"I'd like to let you do it，but as you know，we are in the middle of a war．How could I possibly take the time to pose for a sculpture now？I hardly have a minute to myself．"
Vinnie glanced around and noted the size of his office．"I work quickly，" she said．Her voice was soft but confident as she pointed to the corner near the windows．"If I were to bring my clay here and work for three hours every afternoon，I could complete most of the project while you are at your desk．"
The President seemed to consider her idea seriously．He got up and shook Vinnie's hand warmly， "I've heard that you are a talented young woman，and I have found you charming and intelligent as well．I cannot make my decision immediately，but you will hear from me soon．"
The very next day，Vinnie received an invitation from the President．
（1）What gave Vinnie confidence to make her request of President Lincoln？
| A． |
Her aggressive personality． |
| B． |
Mr． Mills's encouraging remark． |
| C． |
President Lincoln's gentle voice． |
| D． |
Her interest in a challenging job． |
（2）How did President Lincoln first respond to Vinnie's request？
| A． |
Pleased． |
| B． |
Thrilled． |
| C． |
Regretful． |
| D． |
Doubtful． |
（3）Vinnie confirmed her ability to make a full﹣length statue by highlighting ．
| A． |
her experience from other projects |
| B． |
her innocent childhood in the country |
| C． |
the heavy labor she had done before |
| D． |
the skill she picked up in Wisconsin |
（4）Vinnie wanted to choose the corner near the windows to ．
| A． |
achieve effects of natural lighting |
| B． |
keep all her tools within easy reach |
| C． |
observe the President at a right angle |
| D． |
avoid disturbing the President's work |
（5）What message does the story convey？
| A． |
A strong﹣willed soul can reach his goal． |
| B． |
Experience helps to promote excellence． |
| C． |
Ups and downs make one strong． |
| D． |
Devotion requires enthusiasm． |
When 15-year-old Louisa Ball takes a nap, she sleeps for days on end, and no amount of shaking can fully wake her up. The British girl has a rare condition called Sleeping Beauty Sickness. Doctors don’t know what causes it or how to cure it --only know that it strikes teenagers and goes away by itself after eight to 12 years.
Louisa’s mum, Lottie, told NBC News that the girl had flulike symptoms just over a year ago. Shortly afterward, she had her first period of long sleeping.
She was eventually diagnosed with Kleine-Levin Syndrome, whose victims worldwide may number no more than 1,000. The victims live normally for weeks or months at a time, with normal sleep patterns and normal energy levels. Then, with little warning, they’ll go to sleep for days or weeks at a time. So far, Louisa’s longest period in bed has been 13 days. Victims will wake briefly, but be disoriented and not fully awake. Louisa’s parents force her awake so she can use the bathroom and eat.
Now, Louisa’s friends can tell when a period is coming on. She stops talking and she may be annoyed easily. That’s when she knows she has to get home to her bed. Louisa has slept through family vacations, the dance recitals(表演会) she loves to perform in, and school tests. Now it becomes increasingly difficult to catch up on missed schoolwork.
But just as doctors don’t know the cause, they also don’t know why it ends as mysteriously as it began. The illness is unrelated to narcolepsy(嗜眠病), whose victims are constantly tired and drop off for brief periods of sleep at any time.
It’s so dramatic that some people have accused Louisa of making the false symptoms to get attention. Her father, Richard, thinks that’s absurd.The underlined “disoriented ” in the 3rd paragraph probably means________.
| A．embarrassed | B．disappointed |
| C．confused | D．happy |
Which is TRUE about Kleine-Levin Syndrome according to the passage?
| A．The victims usually sleep for days or weeks at a time. |
| B．There are usually many warning signs before it attacks the victims. |
| C．The victims are usually tired and in a bad mood. |
| D．There are more than 1, 000 victims in the world. |
We can learn from the passage that________.
| A．doctors have found the cure for Sleeping Beauty Sickness. |
| B．some people don’t believe in the truth of Louisa’s symptoms. |
| C．Kleine-Levin Syndrome has no effect on Louisa’s study and life. |
| D．the narcolepsy victims sleep longer than those with Kleine-Levin Syndrome. |
What can we learn about Louisa?
| A．Louisa is fond of dancing. |
| B．Louisa can still manage finish her schoolwork without difficulty. |
| C．Louisa is a British girl who likes sleeping. |
| D．Louisa’s longest sleeping period is 8 years. |
What is the best title of the passage?
| A．What is Narcolepsy |
| B．How Louisa Overcame the Difficulty |
| C．Rare Illness Turns a Girl into a “Sleeping Beauty” |
| D．The Latest Research on Kleine-Levin Syndrome. |
Every day, Daisy wakes up next to a man, who has to convince her they are married. When she expresses doubt, he takes out a photo album and shows her pictures of their wedding 13 years ago.
Only then does amnesiac Daisy accept that she has been married, and that everything he has told her is true. The lady's condition was caused by brain injuries suffered in two road accidents, a motorbike crash in 1985 and a car accident in 1990. Daisy can recall everything up to 1994, but since then everything that happens on one day is forgotten the next day.
She has no day-today memory after the car crash. And it is not just loved ones Daisy struggles with. She uses hundreds of notes and reminders on her mobile phone's calendar to keep her informed of appointments and everyday duties. Anything she has done or anyone she has met must be logged for future reference. And on the rare occasions when she takes the risk of going out of her home alone, she has to be armed with navigation (导航) programmed with her address.
There are some benefits, however. There is no such thing as a repeat on TV and every joke is funny, because it seemed she has heard it the first time.“It’s like I am living the same day, day after day, said Daisy, who does voluntary work at a charity for people with disabilities three days a week.
Dr Peter Nestor said Daisy was suffering from anterograde(【医】 前进的, 顺行的) amnesia. He added, “It is reasonably rare, but it does exist. You are able to carry out daytoday things, and don't forget how to do certain things like speaking. But if someone was to ask you what you did yesterday, you wouldn't have a clue.”What caused Daisy’s condition?
| A．Her disability since birth. |
| B．Brain injuries in accidents. |
| C．Her declining health |
| D．Overloaded working. |
How did Daisy’s family help remind her?
| A．By taking her to the hospital |
| B．By telling her jokes. |
| C．By showing her old photos and pictures. |
| D．By persuading her to recall the car crash. |
The underlined word “amnesiac” in Paragraph 2 probably means“________”．
| A．strong | B．optimistic |
| C．warmhearted | D．forgetful |
What does the 3rd paragraph mainly tell us?
| A．Benefits of Daisy condition. |
| B．Great troubles Daisy has in life. |
| C．How Daisy helps herself. |
| D．The reason why Daisy forgets things. |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．Daisy could still enjoy a lot in spite of her illness. |
| B．The only thing Daisy kept in mind was her home. |
| C．Daisy couldn't do anything but stay at home. |
| D．Daisy didn't want to trust anyone else. |
Wealth starts with a goal saving a dollar at a time. Call it the piggy bank strategy(策略). There are lessons in that time-honored coin-saving container.
Any huge task seems easier when reduced to baby steps. I f you wished to climb a 12,000-foot mountain, and could do it a day at a time, you would only have to climb 33 feet daily to reach the top in a year. If you want to take a really nice trip in 10 years for a special occasion, to collect the $15,000 cost, you have to save $3.93 a day. If you drop that into a piggy bank and then once a year put $1,434 in a savings account at 1% interest rate after-tax, you will have your trip money.
When I was a child, my parents gave me a piggy bank to teach me that, if I wanted something, I should save money to buy it. We associate piggy banks with children, but in many countries, the little containers are also popular with adults. Europeans see a piggy bank as a sign of good fortune and wealth. Around the world, many believe a gift of a piggy bank on New Year’s Day brings good luck and financial success. Ah, but you have to put something in it.
Why is a pig used as a symbol of saving? Why not an elephant bank, which is bigger and holds more coins? In the Middle Ages, before modern banking and credit instruments, people saved money at home, a few coins at a time dropped into a jar or dish. Potters(制陶工) made these inexpensive containers from an orange-colored clay(黏土) called “pygg,” and folks saved coins in pygg jars.The Middle English word
for pig was “pigge”. While the Saxons pronounced pygg, referring to the clay, as “pug”, eventually the two words changed into the same pronunciation, sounding the “i” as in pig or piggy. As the word became less associated with the orange clay and more with the animal, a clever potter fashioned a pygg jar in the shape of a pig, delighting children and adults. The piggy bank was born.
Originally you had to break the bank to get to the money, bringing in a sense of seriousness into savings. While piggy banks teach children the wisdom of saving, adults often need to relearn childhood lessons. Think about the things in life that require large amounts of money--- college education, weddings, cars, medical care, starting a business, buying a home, and fun stuff like great trips. So when you have money, take off the top 10%, put it aside, save and invest wisely.What is the piggy bank strategy?
| A．Paying 1% income tax at a time. |
| B．Setting a goal before making a travel plan. |
| C．Aiming high even when doing small things. |
| D．Putting aside a little money regularly for future use. |
Why did the writer’s parents give him a piggy bank as a gift?
| A．To delight him with the latest fashion. |
| B．To encourage him to climb mountains. |
| C．To help him form the habit of saving. |
| D．To teach him English pronunciation. |
What does then underlined word “something”(Paragraph 3) most probably refer to?
| A．Money | B．Gifts |
| C．Financial success | D．Good luck |
The piggy ban originally was _________.
| A．a potter’s instrument | B．a cheap clay container |
| C．an animal-shaped dish | D．a pig-like toy for children |
The last paragraph talks about ________.
| A．the seriousness of educating children |
| B．the enjoyment of taking a great trip |
| C．the importance of managing money |
| D．the difficulty of starting a business |
Why can’t some people even get an inch of what they dream of becoming? Blame it on pure dreaming and lack of surrounding goals for achieving their dreams.
Setting goals is very significant part of accomplishing and positive actions. It is like scaling(攀爬) a 200 feet construction and marking in the early hours on what feet you would like to reach at this specific period.
People who set goals literally generate a map of their goal settings in life, marking where they should start, where to pause, where to study a bit, and where and when to end. Once this map comes into being, it allows the map drawer to check where he is in the scheme(安排) of things and whether or not he is making some planning that will take him closer to his goals.
By surrounding goals, people will know how they are doing and what they should be doing to get their goals or dreams in life. They will know if they can relax or if they have to double their efforts when they are falling short of what is expected of them.
Goal surroundings means a person is prepared in dealing with challenges that may affect his plans. Being proactive means one is able to outline possible difficulties that may occur as well as the solutions to these difficulties. By doing this, a person is not easily scared or defeated when challenges occur because he has already prepared for them. He knows they can happen and he has prepared a solution or strategy when that time comes.
Setting goals will enable people to track their progress in whatever hard work they set out to do. It will help people become more confident in themselves and more motivated to get their plans. The purpose of this passage is to _______________.
| A．explain the difference between the two goals. |
| B．show the importance of surrounding goals. |
| C．tell us how to set and achieve one’s goals. |
| D．tell us setting goals makes one confident. |
According to the author, one had better ___________ in making a goal in life.
| A．take an active attitude |
| B．create a scheme as a whole |
| C．consider the possible troubles |
| D．check where he is frequently |
From the passage, we can reach the conclusion that___________________.
| A．achievements come to those who are well prepared |
| B．everyone faces the situation which is scaring or threatening |
| C．the higher one sets his goal, the more achievements he will have |
| D．success never comes to people who always blame |
About five years ago I started at a new school when my family moved to Iowa. I was just a little ex-cited, but I worried I would never fit in with the other sixth graders.
Lucy, a girl in my class, who I thought was not ready for change, didn’t like me from the start. In fact, I was pretty sure she hated me. I would ask her a question, and I could tell she thought I was a total fool.
My teacher made us sit by each other for the last term. Lucy was horrified (惊骇的). I didn’t wear make-up (化妆品), and I didn’t wear those terrible bell-bottom pants. I didn’t exactly look like the coolest girl. But, I kept smiling at her, though she rolled her eyes, and I kept telling her she looked beautiful, even when she was angry.
Finally, Lucy let me talk to her, even in sight of her “cool” friends. She started telling me how beautiful I looked. I still remember that first time when she smiled at me saying that, and I smiled right back, telling her thanks. Lucy invited me over to her house for a party, and talked to me all the time instead of her other friends. Lucy, the girl who hated me, called me her best friend. After that, we still were good friends a whole year later.
I may have moved to Arizona after that, but I will never forget Lucy. It’s funny — I still remember her birthday. She was a great friend. And to think, she considered me her enemy at first. Though it was hard, and it felt like I was wasting my time, and losing my dignity (尊严), I still smiled at Lucy when she made fun of me. I’m not stupid, I didn’t think she was right in doing those things, but I still put up with it. And we became great friends.
About two weeks ago, I read a sentence by Abraham Lincoln: “Am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends of them?” Immediately, I smiled, thinking of Lucy. That sentence just reminded me how great it was for me to change Lucy into my friend in that state of Iowa five years ago.When the author started at a new school in Iowa, she worried _____.
| A．she looked stupid when asking questions |
| B．she didn’t look like the coolest girl in her class |
| C．she was not ready for change at all |
| D．she couldn’t get along well with her classmates |
How did the author change Lucy’s attitude towards her?
| A．By wearing make-up. |
| B．By keeping smiling at Lucy. |
| C．By wearing bell-bottom pants. |
| D．By sitting beside Lucy in class. |
From Paragraph 5, we know the author thought _____.
| A．it was right of her to suffer when making friends |
| B．it was a waste of time to make friends with Lucy |
| C．it was a shameful thing to put up with what Lucy did |
| D．it was foolish of her to smile at Lucy all the time |
What is the main idea of this passage?
| A．Patience is important in making friends. |
| B．Friendship needs to be cared for. |
| C．Making friends means losing enemies. |
| D．Kindness can defeat any enemy. |