I was a newcomer of Miss Burn’s seventh grade. Past“newcomer”experiences had been difficult, so I was
very anxious to fit in.
Lunchtime was a pleasant surprise when the girls all crowded around my table. Their chat was friendly, so
I began to relax. My new classmates filled me in on the school, the teachers and the other kids. it wasn’t long
before the class herd(書呆子)was pointed out to me: Mary Lou. Actually she called herself Mary Louise. A
formal, overmodest young girl with old-fashioned clothes, she wasn’t ugly—not even funny looking. Practical
shoes, long wool skirt and a blouse completed the image of a complete herd. The girls’ whispers got louder and
louder. Mary Lou didn’t notice this. After school, the girls invited me to join them in front of the school.
Arms wrapped around her backpack, Mary Lou came down the school steps. The taunting began—rude,
biting comments and disrespectful words from the girls. I paused, then joined right in. My force began to pick
up as I approached her, mean(卑劣)remarks falling from my lips. I even pulled the belt of her backpack and then
pushed her. The belt broke, Mary Lou fell. Everyone was laughing and patting me. I fit in. But I was not proud.
Something inside me hurt.
Mary Lou got up, gathered her books and—without a tear shed—off, she went. She held her head high as a
small trickle of blood ran down from her injured knee.
I turned to leave with my laughing friends and noticed a man standing beside his car. His skin, dark hair
and handsome features told me this was her father. Respectful of Mary Lou’s proud spirit, he remained still and
watched the lonely girl walk toward him. Only his eyes—shining with both grief and pride—followed. As I
passed, he looked at me in silence with burning tears that spoke to my shame and scolded my heart. He didn’t
speak a word.
No scolding from a teacher or a parent could linger(逗留)as much as that hurt in my heart from the day a
father’s eyes taught me kindness and strength and dignity. I never again joined the cruel herds. I never
again hurt someone for my own gain.
【小題1】 The writer felt she fit in when      .

I was a newcomer of Miss Burn’s seventh grade. Past“newcomer”experiences had been difficult, so I was

very anxious to fit in.

    Lunchtime was a pleasant surprise when the girls all crowded around my table. Their chat was friendly, so

I began to relax. My new classmates filled me in on the school, the teachers and the other kids. it wasn’t long

before the class herd(書呆子)was pointed out to me: Mary Lou. Actually she called herself Mary Louise. A

formal, overmodest young girl with old-fashioned clothes, she wasn’t ugly—not even funny looking. Practical

shoes, long wool skirt and a blouse completed the image of a complete herd. The girls’ whispers got louder and

louder. Mary Lou didn’t notice this. After school, the girls invited me to join them in front of the school.

   Arms wrapped around her backpack, Mary Lou came down the school steps. The taunting began—rude,

biting comments and disrespectful words from the girls. I paused, then joined right in. My force began to pick

up as I approached her, mean(卑劣)remarks falling from my lips. I even pulled the belt of her backpack and then

pushed her. The belt broke, Mary Lou fell. Everyone was laughing and patting me. I fit in. But I was not proud.

Something inside me hurt.

   Mary Lou got up, gathered her books and—without a tear shed—off, she went. She held her head high as a

small trickle of blood ran down from her injured knee.

   I turned to leave with my laughing friends and noticed a man standing beside his car. His skin, dark hair

and handsome features told me this was her father. Respectful of Mary Lou’s proud spirit, he remained still and

watched the lonely girl walk toward him. Only his eyes—shining with both grief and pride—followed. As I

passed, he looked at me in silence with burning tears that spoke to my shame and scolded my heart. He didn’t

speak a word.

   No scolding from a teacher or a parent could linger(逗留)as much as that hurt in my heart from the day a

father’s eyes taught me kindness and strength and dignity. I never again joined the cruel herds. I never

again hurt someone for my own gain.

1. The writer felt she fit in when       .

   A. she relaxed and talked with her new classmate    B. she became a leader of a school club

   C. she picked a wing off a butterfly       D. others cheered for her after she treated Mary badly

2.What does the underlined word“taunting”mean in the article?

   A. Playing a game        B. Joining a club

   C. Criticizing a person     D. Watching a movie

3.Mary’s father      after he saw what happened to her daughter.

   A. felt shameful and angry for his daughter      B. felt sad and proud for his daughter’s bravery

   C. felt it necessary to teach the writer a lesson    D. felt it a pity that she didn’t fight back

4.The writer would never hurt someone for her own gain because she     .

   A. was impressed by Mary’s calmness    

B. was afraid to be scolded by Mary’s father

   C. was sorry she hurt Mary’s knee

   D. was aware that it was a shame to make fun of Mary

5.According to the article, the writer is probably      .

   A. a rude girl who enjoys making fun of others

   B. a clever girl who is good at making friends with others

   C. a shy girl who isn’t good at communicating with others

   D. a brave girl who is willing to correct her mistakes

I was a newcomer of Miss Burn’s seventh grade. Past“newcomer”experiences had been difficult, so I was
very anxious to fit in.
Lunchtime was a pleasant surprise when the girls all crowded around my table. Their chat was friendly, so
I began to relax. My new classmates filled me in on the school, the teachers and the other kids. it wasn’t long
before the class herd(書呆子)was pointed out to me: Mary Lou. Actually she called herself Mary Louise. A
formal, overmodest young girl with old-fashioned clothes, she wasn’t ugly—not even funny looking. Practical
shoes, long wool skirt and a blouse completed the image of a complete herd. The girls’ whispers got louder and
louder. Mary Lou didn’t notice this. After school, the girls invited me to join them in front of the school.
Arms wrapped around her backpack, Mary Lou came down the school steps. The taunting began—rude,
biting comments and disrespectful words from the girls. I paused, then joined right in. My force began to pick
up as I approached her, mean(卑劣)remarks falling from my lips. I even pulled the belt of her backpack and then
pushed her. The belt broke, Mary Lou fell. Everyone was laughing and patting me. I fit in. But I was not proud.
Something inside me hurt.
Mary Lou got up, gathered her books and—without a tear shed—off, she went. She held her head high as a
small trickle of blood ran down from her injured knee.
I turned to leave with my laughing friends and noticed a man standing beside his car. His skin, dark hair
and handsome features told me this was her father. Respectful of Mary Lou’s proud spirit, he remained still and
watched the lonely girl walk toward him. Only his eyes—shining with both grief and pride—followed. As I
passed, he looked at me in silence with burning tears that spoke to my shame and scolded my heart. He didn’t
speak a word.
No scolding from a teacher or a parent could linger(逗留)as much as that hurt in my heart from the day a
father’s eyes taught me kindness and strength and dignity. I never again joined the cruel herds. I never
again hurt someone for my own gain.

1. 1.

   The writer felt she fit in when      .

   1. A.
      she relaxed and talked with her new classmate
   2. B.
      she became a leader of a school club
   3. C.
      she picked a wing off a butterfly
   4. D.
      others cheered for her after she treated Mary badly
2. 2.

   What does the underlined word“taunting”mean in the article?

   1. A.
      Playing a game
   2. B.
      Joining a club
   3. C.
      Criticizing a person
   4. D.
      Watching a movie
3. 3.

   Mary’s father     after he saw what happened to her daughter.

   1. A.
      felt shameful and angry for his daughter
   2. B.
      felt sad and proud for his daughter’s bravery
   3. C.
      felt it necessary to teach the writer a lesson
   4. D.
      felt it a pity that she didn’t fight back
4. 4.

   The writer would never hurt someone for her own gain because she    .

   1. A.
      was impressed by Mary’s calmness
   2. B.
      was afraid to be scolded by Mary’s father
   3. C.
      was sorry she hurt Mary’s knee
   4. D.
      was aware that it was a shame to make fun of Mary
5. 5.

   According to the article, the writer is probably     .

   1. A.
      a rude girl who enjoys making fun of others
   2. B.
      a clever girl who is good at making friends with others
   3. C.
      a shy girl who isn’t good at communicating with others
   4. D.
      a brave girl who is willing to correct her mistakes

I was six when I joined my father and two brothers at sunrise in the hayfields of Eufaula,Oklahoma.By the time I was eight I was helping Dad fix up low-income rent properties.He gave me a penny for every nail I pulled out of old boards.

I got my first real job,at JM’s restaurant in town,when I was 12.My main responsibilities were cleaning tables and washing dishes,but sometimes I helped cook.

Every day after school I would head to JM’s and work until ten.On Saturdays I worked from two until eleven.At that age it was unlucky going to work and watching my friends run off to swim or play.I didn’t necessarily like work,but I love what working allowed me to have.Because of my job I was always the one buying when my friends and I went to the local bar Tastee Freez.This made me proud.

Word that I was honest and hard-working got around town.A local clothing store offered credit to me although I was only in the seventh grade.I immediately charged a $68 sports coat and a $22 pair of trousers.I was making only 65 cents an hour,and I was already $90 in debt!So I learned early the danger of easy credit.I paid it off as soon as I could.

My first job taught me discipline,responsibility and brought me a level of personal satisfaction few of my friends had experienced.As by father,who worked three jobs,once told me,“If you understand sacrifice and commitment,there are not many things in life you can’t have.”How right he was!

When the author was a child,he was made to help his father work because_________.

A.the retaurant was short for hands

B.his family belonged to the low-income group

C.he wanted to earn some money

D.he was stronger than his two brothers

At the age of 12,the author got a job at a restaurant and often worked till late at night because_________.

A.he liked that work

B.he didn’t like playing

C.he was hard-working

D.he felt rewarded by doing that work

When the author was in the seventh grade,he was in debt because_________.

A.he did not work any more

B.he bought clothes on credit

C.he was charged too much for the sports coat

D.he made little money at that time

What does the author want to tell the reader by this text?

A.If you know sacrifice and responsibility,you can have many things in life.

B.Children from poor families usually have a very unhappy childhood.

C.Children could be made to work and earn some money by themselves.

D.You will learn discipline and responsibity by working early in life.

I was doing some Christmas shopping in a toy store and decided to look at Barbie dolls for my nieces. A nicely dressed little girl was excitedly looking through the Barbie dolls as well. As she was looking, a little boy came to the Pokemon toys. He was dressed neatly, but his clothes were obviously old. He was with his father as well, and kept picking up the Pokemon video toys. Each time he picked one up and looked at his father, his father shook his head and said, “No.”

The little girl had chosen her Barbie. However, she stopped and was watching them. Rather dejectedly, the boy had to give up the Pokemon toys and choose something else. The little girl put her Barbie back on the shelf, and ran over to the Pokemon toys. She excitedly picked up one and raced towards the checkout. I picked up my purchases and got in line behind them. Then, much to the little girl’s delight, the little boy and his father got in line behind me. After the toy was paid for and bagged, the little girl handed it back to the cashier (收銀員) and whispered something in her ear. The casher smiled and put the package under the counter.
I paid for my purchases and was rearranging things when the little boy came up to the cashier. The cashier checked his purchases and said, “Congratulations, you are my hundredth customer today, and you win a prize!” With that, she handed the little boy the Pokemon toys, and he could only stare in surprise. It was exactly what he had wanted!
The little girl and her father had been standing at the doorway during all of this. Then they walked out. As I walked back to my car, I heard the father ask his daughter why she had done that. I’ll never forget what she said to him. “Daddy, didn’t Grandparents want me to buy something that would make me happy?” He said, “Of course they did, honey.” To which the little girl replied, “Well, I just did!”
I feel very shocked to have witnessed the true spirit of Christmas in that toy store, in the form of a little girl who understands more about the meaning of this festival than most adults I know.
【小題1】The underlined word “dejectedly” in the second paragraph probably means _____.

A．His father bought him the Poknemon toys.

B．Fortunately, he was the hundredth customer and won the Poknemon toys.

C．The cashier felt sympathy for the little boy and gave him the Poknemon toys.

D．The little girl bought the Poknemon toys for him.

A．Her Grandparents wanted her to be happy.

B．Making the little boy happy made her happy.

C．The Poknemon toys made her happy.

D．Her Grandparents hoped that she could help others.

A．the story happened before Christmas.

B．The little boy had not enough money to buy the Poknemon toys.

C．Although the little girl liked the Poknemon toys very much, she gave them to the boy.

D．The author was deeply moved by the behavior of the little girl.

I was doing some Christmas shopping in a toy store and decided to look at Barbie dolls for my nieces. A nicely dressed little girl was excitedly looking through the Barbie dolls as well. As she was looking, a little boy came to the Pokemon toys. He was dressed neatly, but his clothes were obviously old. He was with his father as well, and kept picking up the Pokemon video toys. Each time he picked one up and looked at his father, his father shook his head and said, “No.”

The little girl had chosen her Barbie. However, she stopped and was watching them. Rather dejectedly, the boy had to give up the Pokemon toys and choose something else. The little girl put her Barbie back on the shelf, and ran over to the Pokemon toys. She excitedly picked up one and raced towards the checkout. I picked up my purchases and got in line behind them. Then, much to the little girl’s delight, the little boy and his father got in line behind me. After the toy was paid for and bagged, the little girl handed it back to the cashier (收銀員) and whispered something in her ear. The casher smiled and put the package under the counter.

I paid for my purchases and was rearranging things when the little boy came up to the cashier. The cashier checked his purchases and said, “Congratulations, you are my hundredth customer today, and you win a prize!” With that, she handed the little boy the Pokemon toys, and he could only stare in surprise. It was exactly what he had wanted!

The little girl and her father had been standing at the doorway during all of this. Then they walked out. As I walked back to my car, I heard the father ask his daughter why she had done that. I’ll never forget what she said to him. “Daddy, didn’t Grandparents want me to buy something that would make me happy?” He said, “Of course they did, honey.” To which the little girl replied, “Well, I just did!”

I feel very shocked to have witnessed the true spirit of Christmas in that toy store, in the form of a little girl who understands more about the meaning of this festival than most adults I know.

1.The underlined word “dejectedly” in the second paragraph probably means _____.

A．delightedly        B．disappointedly      C．excitedly          D．unexpectedly

2.How did the little boy get the Pokemon toys?

A．His father bought him the Poknemon toys.

                    B．Fortunately, he was the hundredth customer and won the Poknemon toys.

                    C．The cashier felt sympathy for the little boy and gave him the Poknemon toys.

                    D．The little girl bought the Poknemon toys for him.

3.What did the little girl mean when saying “Daddy, didn’t Grandparents want me to buy something that would make me happy?”

A．Her Grandparents wanted her to be happy.

                    B．Making the little boy happy made her happy.

                    C．The Poknemon toys made her happy.

                    D．Her Grandparents hoped that she could help others.

4.Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?

A．the story happened before Christmas.

                    B．The little boy had not enough money to buy the Poknemon toys.

                    C．Although the little girl liked the Poknemon toys very much, she gave them to the boy.

                    D．The author was deeply moved by the behavior of the little girl.

I was in a rush as always, but this time it was for an important date I just couldn’ t be late for! I found myself at a checkout counter behind an elderly woman seemingly in no hurry as she paid for her groceries. A PhD student with not a lot of money, I had hurried into the store to pick up some flowers. I was in a huge rush, thinking of my upcoming evening. I did not want to be late for this date.
We were in Boston, a place not always known for small conversation between strangers. The woman stopped unloading her basket and looked up at me. She smiled. It was a nice smile —warm and reassuring — and I returned her gift by smiling back.
“Must be a special lady, whoever it is that will be getting those beautiful flowers，” she said.
“Yes, she’ s special，” I said, and then to my embarrassment, the words kept coming out. “It’ s only our second date，but somehow I am just having the feeling she’s ‘the one’ ，”Jokingly, I added, “The only problem is that I can’ t figure out why she’ d want to date a guy like me.”
“Well, I think she’s very lucky to have a boyfriend who brings her such lovely flowers and who is obviously in love with her,” the woman said. “My husband used to bring me flowers every week — even when times were tough and we didn’ t have much money. Those were incredible days; he was very romantic and — of course — I miss him since he’ s passed away.”
I paid for my flowers as she was gathering up her groceries. There was no doubt in my mind as I walked up to her. I touched her on the shoulder and said, “You were right, you know. These flowers are indeed for a very special lady.” I handed her the flowers and thanked her for such a nice conversation.
It took her a moment to realize that I was giving her the flowers I had just purchased.“You have a wonderful evening,” I said. I left her with a big smile and my heart warmed as I saw her smelling the beautiful flowers.
I remember being slightly late for my date that night and telling my girlfriend the above story. A couple of years later，when I finally worked up the courage to ask her to marry me，she told me that this story had helped to seal it for her — that was the night that I won her heart.
【小題1】Why was the writer in a hurry that day?

I was in a rush as always, but this time it was for an important date I just couldn’ t be late for! I found myself at a checkout counter behind an elderly woman seemingly in no hurry as she paid for her groceries. A PhD student with not a lot of money, I had hurried into the store to pick up some flowers. I was in a huge rush, thinking of my upcoming evening. I did not want to be late for this date.

We were in Boston, a place not always known for small conversation between strangers. The woman stopped unloading her basket and looked up at me. She smiled. It was a nice smile —warm and reassuring — and I returned her gift by smiling back.

“Must be a special lady, whoever it is that will be getting those beautiful flowers，” she said.

“Yes, she’ s special，” I said, and then to my embarrassment, the words kept coming out. “It’ s only our second date，but somehow I am just having the feeling she’s ‘the one’ ，”Jokingly, I added, “The only problem is that I can’ t figure out why she’ d want to date a guy like me.”

“Well, I think she’s very lucky to have a boyfriend who brings her such lovely flowers and who is obviously in love with her,” the woman said. “My husband used to bring me flowers every week — even when times were tough and we didn’ t have much money. Those were incredible days; he was very romantic and — of course — I miss him since he’ s passed away.”

I paid for my flowers as she was gathering up her groceries. There was no doubt in my mind as I walked up to her. I touched her on the shoulder and said, “You were right, you know. These flowers are indeed for a very special lady.” I handed her the flowers and thanked her for such a nice conversation.

It took her a moment to realize that I was giving her the flowers I had just purchased.“You have a wonderful evening,” I said. I left her with a big smile and my heart warmed as I saw her smelling the beautiful flowers.

I remember being slightly late for my date that night and telling my girlfriend the above story. A couple of years later，when I finally worked up the courage to ask her to marry me，she told me that this story had helped to seal it for her — that was the night that I won her heart.

1.Why was the writer in a hurry that day?

A. He was to meet his girlfriend.

B. He had to go back to school soon.

C. He was delayed by an elderly lady.

D. He had to pick up some groceries.

2.What does the underlined phrase “her gift” (Paragraph 2) refer to?

A. Her words.B. Her smile.C. Her flowers.D. Her politeness.

3.Why did the writer give his flowers to the elderly lady?

A. She told him a nice story.B. She allowed him to pay first.

C. She gave him encouragement.D. She liked flowers very much.

4.What does the underlined word “ seal” mean in the last paragraph?

A. envelopB. blockC. an animalD. decide

5.What is the message conveyed in the story?

A. Flowers are important for a date.

B. Small talk is helpful.

C. Love and kindness are rewarding.

D. Elderly people deserve respecting.

I was six when I joined my father and two brothers at sunrise in the hayfields of Eufaula,Oklahoma.By the time I was eight I was helping Dad fix up low-income rent properties.He gave me a penny for every nail I pulled out of old boards.
I got my first real job,at JM’s restaurant in town,when I was 12.My main responsibilities were cleaning tables and washing dishes,but sometimes I helped cook.
Every day after school I would head to JM’s and work until ten.On Saturdays I worked from two until eleven.At that age it was unlucky going to work and watching my friends run off to swim or play.I didn’t necessarily like work,but I love what working allowed me to have.Because of my job I was always the one buying when my friends and I went to the local bar Tastee Freez.This made me proud.
Word that I was honest and hard-working got around town.A local clothing store offered credit to me although I was only in the seventh grade.I immediately charged a $68 sports coat and a $22 pair of trousers.I was making only 65 cents an hour,and I was already $90 in debt!So I learned early the danger of easy credit.I paid it off as soon as I could.
My first job taught me discipline,responsibility and brought me a level of personal satisfaction few of my friends had experienced.As by father,who worked three jobs,once told me,“If you understand sacrifice and commitment,there are not many things in life you can’t have.”How right he was!

1. 1.

   When the author was a child,he was made to help his father work because_________.

   1. A.
      the retaurant was short for hands
   2. B.
      his family belonged to the low-income group
   3. C.
      he wanted to earn some money
   4. D.
      he was stronger than his two brothers
2. 2.

   At the age of 12,the author got a job at a restaurant and often worked till late at night because_________.

   1. A.
      he liked that work
   2. B.
      he didn’t like playing
   3. C.
      he was hard-working
   4. D.
      he felt rewarded by doing that work
3. 3.

   When the author was in the seventh grade,he was in debt because_________.

   1. A.
      he did not work any more
   2. B.
      he bought clothes on credit
   3. C.
      he was charged too much for the sports coat
   4. D.
      he made little money at that time
4. 4.

   What does the author want to tell the reader by this text?

   1. A.
      If you know sacrifice and responsibility,you can have many things in life.
   2. B.
      Children from poor families usually have a very unhappy childhood.
   3. C.
      Children could be made to work and earn some money by themselves.
   4. D.
      You will learn discipline and responsibity by working early in life.

I was sure that I was to be killed. I became terribly nervous. I searched in my pockets to see if there were any cigarettes, which had escaped their search. I found one and because of my shaking hands, I could barely get it to my lips. But I had no matches, they had taken those. I looked through the bars at my jailer. He did not make eye contact with me. I called out to him, “Have you got a light?” He looked at me, shrugged and came over to light my cigarette. As he came close and lit the match, his eyes inadvertently(不經(jīng)意地) locked with mine. At that moment, I smiled. I don’t know why I did that. Perhaps it was nervousness, perhaps it was because, when you get very close, one to another, it is very hard not to smile. In any case, I smiled. In that instant, it was as though a spark jumped across the gap between our two hearts, our two human souls. I know he didn’t want to, but my smile leaped through the bars and generated a smile on his lips, too. He lit my cigarette but stayed near, looking at me directly in the eyes and continuing to smile.
I kept smiling at him, now aware of him as a person and not just a jailer. And his looking at me seemed to have a new dimension too. “Do you have kids?” he asked. “Yes, here, here.” I took out my wallet and nervously fumbled for the pictures of my family. He, too, took out the pictures of his family and began to talk about his plans and hopes for them. My eyes filled with tears. I said that I feared that I’d never see my family again, never have the chance to see them grow up. Tears came to his eyes, too. Suddenly, without another word, he unlocked my cell and silently led me out. Out of the jail, quietly and by back routes, out of the toxin. There, at the edge of town, he released me. And without another word, he turned back toward the town.
“My life was saved by a smile.” Yes, the smile -- the unaffected, unplanned, natural connection between people. I really believe that if that part of you and that part of me could recognize each other, we wouldn’t be enemies. We couldn’t have hate or envy or fear!

1. 1.

   Why did the author smiled to the jailer first?

   1. A.
      Because he wanted to make friends with the jailer.
   2. B.
      Because he wanted to give a good impression on the jailer.
   3. C.
      Because he wanted to share the cigarette with the jailer.
   4. D.
      The reason was unknown to him and us.
2. 2.

   Which of the following is the fight order according to the story?
   a. I was set free at the edge of town.
   b. I wanted to borrow a light from the jailer.
   c. I was arrested and quite frightened.
   d. I took out the pictures of my family.
   e. The jailer took out the pictures of his family.

   1. A.
      c, b, e, d, a    
   2. B.
      b, c, d, a, e           
   3. C.
      c, b, d, e, a           
   4. D.
      c, d, e, b, a
3. 3.

   It can be inferred from the passage that ____________.

   1. A.
      Before the author was released, he had stayed there for a long time.
   2. B.
      Both of the author and the jailer loved their families very much.
   3. C.
      The author had no chance to see his family again.
   4. D.
      The jailer was punished by his leader at last.
4. 4.

   What is the best title of the passage?

   1. A.
      The use of smile                      
   2. B.
      Life in the jail.
   3. C.
      The smile                                         
   4. D.
      Love is everywhere.

  I was doing some Christmas shopping in a toy store and decided to look at Barbie dolls for my nieces. A nicely dressed little girl was excitedly looking through the Barbie dolls as well. As she was looking, a little boy came to the Pokemon toys. He was dressed neatly, but his clothed were obviously old. He was with his father as well, and kept picking up the Pokemon video toys. Each time he picked one up and looked at his father, his father shook his head and said, “No.”

  The little girl had chosen her Barbie. However, she stopped and was watching them. Rather dejectedly, the boy had to give up the Pokemon toys and choose something else. The little girl put her Barbie back on the shelf, and ran over to the Pokemon toys. She excitedly picked up one and raced towards the checkout. I picked up my purchases and got in line behind them. Then, much to the little girl’s delight, the little boy and his father got in line behind me. After the toy was paid for and bagged, the little girl handed it back to the cashier (收銀員) and whispered something in her ear. The casher smiled and put the package under the counter.

  I paid for my purchases and was rearranging things when the little boy came up to the cashier. The cashier checked his purchases and said, “Congratulations, you are my hundredth customer today, and you win a prize!” With that, she handed the little boy the Pokemon toys, and he could only stare in surprise. It was exactly what he had wanted!

  The little girl and her father had been standing at the doorway during all of this. Then they walked out. As I walked back to my car, I heard the father ask his daughter why she had done that. I’ll never forget what she said to him. “Daddy, didn’t Grandparents want me to buy something that would make me happy?” He said, “Of course they did, honey.” To which the little girl replied, “ Well, I just did!”

  I feel very shocked to have witnessed the true spirit of Christmas in that boy store, in the form of a little girl who understands more about the meaning of this festival than most adults I know.

56. The underlined word “dejectedly” in the second paragraph probably means _____.

   A. delightedly  B. disappointedly  C. excitedly   D. unexpectedly

57. How did the little boy get the Pokemon toys?

   A. His father bought him the Poknemon toys.

   B. Fortunately, he was the hundredth customer and won the Poknemon toys.

   C. The cashier felt sympathy for the little boy and gave him the Poknemon toys.

   D. The little girl bought the Poknemon toys for him.

58. What did the little girl mean when saying “Daddy, didn’t Grandparents want me to buy something that would make me happy?”

   A. Her Grandparents wanted her to be happy.

   B. Making the little boy happy made her happy.

   C. The Poknemon toys made her happy.

   D. Her Grandparents hoped that she could help others.

59. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?

   A. the story happened before Christmas.

   B. The little boy had no enough money to buy the Poknemon toys.

   C. Although the little girl liked the Poknemon toys very much, she gave them to the boy.

   D. The author was deeply moved by the behavior of the little girl.

I was always blamed for watching too much cartoons. As I have said goodbye to my teenage, I shift to watching more movies to prove that I was a grown-up. Surprisingly, I found that movies have something in common with cartoons. They are unrealistic.

Sometimes movies give people hope, including the hope of justice, the hope of tomorrow and almost everything else. A great number of people were once touched by certain movies. From time to time, movies try to deliver some decisive ideas to the audience. In this way, movies do cheer up many people to go on with their lives.

It seems that there is a set formula in movies. We usually see the hero or heroine in the movies suffer a lot in the opening. Gradually and likely, the destination of them always comes to a turning point. So they have to struggle or make some important choices. Then the movie ends up with a happy finale. Or at least the hero finally manages to face his poor life with great courage somehow. However, when audience watch movies in the cinema, most of them just follow the story. Few of them may ask, “Will it happen in the real life？”

Movies are also imitating the real life. Thus a movie, just like a novel, can never be the same as the real life. The setting of a movie is so ideal that we could hardly find it out in reality. The moviemakers just try their best to persuade the audience to believe the story is true. In a word, it is all just make-believe.

For quite a long time, I think that the adults’ world is realistic in the opposite way of the children’s cartoon. However, the movies from the adult world turn out to be a made-up thing. At the very moment, I suddenly realize that movies are somewhat of the adult’s fairy tales or cartoons.

To sum up, other than false comfort such as movies and tales, we are more in need of the maturity of mind, so that we can face our lives bravely and correctly.

1.With time going on, the author shifts to watching more movies because he thinks that_____.

A．they give him hope of justice and tomorrow in life

B．they are for adult and that he is now an adult

C．they help him forget the real world

D．they are similar to cartoons he used to watch

2.Which of the following is true about the type of movies the author mentions?

A．The hero or heroine simply has met no difficulty at all.

B．The hero or heroine is able to deal successfully with any problems.

C．Sometimes there are cartoon characters in the movies.

D．The audience know they are simply foolish stories.

3.The underlined word “make-believe” in Paragraph 4 probably means_____.

A．something imagined to be real

B．something too ideal to believe

C．a(chǎn) happy ending all the audience desire

D．a(chǎn) belief that is based on facts

4.According to the author, which of the following is the side effect of the movies?

A．People may be confused by them.

B．Movies can usually improve real life.

C．Film fans just follow the movie stories.

D．False comfort may mislead the audience.

When I was a teenager growing up in Russia, I wanted to leave school and have my own life. The only way I could do this was to work in the local brick factory in my town, or get married. I was nervous when I told my father I wanted to leave school. I thought he would say, " No! You are going to college. " He took me by surprise when he said, "OK. We'll go to the brick factory. "
Two days later, he took me to the factory. I had a very romantic idea of working in a factory. ' I had imagined everyone to be friends working together and having fun. I even imagined there would be music and singing. I guess I had watched too many movies as a teenager.
When we arrived at the factory gates, my father spoke to the guard and one minute later we were inside. My father said, "Take your time. Look around." I walked around the factory looking at the building, the workers, and listening to the noise. It was horrible. I ran back to my. father and said, "I want to go home. "
He asked me, "What do you think of the factory?"
"It's terrible," I replied.
"And marriage is even worse!" he said.
I went back to school the next day thinking about studying hard so I could get into a good college. I enjoyed studying English so I decided to major in languages at college. Thanks to my father and our trip to the brick factory, I now work at the United Nations and my father is very proud of me. I married a very good man and my life is much better than it would have been working in the factory!
【小題1】 The writer lived in_________ when she was a teenager.
A. Russia B. Japan C. China
【小題2】At first she thought life in the factory would be _       _ than in school.
A. more careful B. more colorful C. more beautiful
【小題3】When she told her father that she wanted to leave school, he expressed his disagreement________.
A. by doing nothing    B. in a special way C. by saying nothing
【小題4】 After they visited the factory, the girl________.
A. decided to work there        B. decided to get married        C. changed her mind
【小題5】The underlined word "horrible" means "_     _" in Chinese.
A. 糟糕的    B. 緊張的   C. 浪漫的

When I was a teenager growing up in Russia, I wanted to leave school and have my own life. The only way I could do this was to work in the local brick factory in my town, or get married. I was nervous when I told my father I wanted to leave school. I thought he would say, " No! You are going to college. " He took me by surprise when he said, "OK. We'll go to the brick factory. "

Two days later, he took me to the factory. I had a very romantic idea of working in a factory. ' I had imagined everyone to be friends working together and having fun. I even imagined there would be music and singing. I guess I had watched too many movies as a teenager.

When we arrived at the factory gates, my father spoke to the guard and one minute later we were inside. My father said, "Take your time. Look around." I walked around the factory looking at the building, the workers, and listening to the noise. It was horrible. I ran back to my. father and said, "I want to go home. "

He asked me, "What do you think of the factory?"

"It's terrible," I replied.

"And marriage is even worse!" he said.

I went back to school the next day thinking about studying hard so I could get into a good college. I enjoyed studying English so I decided to major in languages at college. Thanks to my father and our trip to the brick factory, I now work at the United Nations and my father is very proud of me. I married a very good man and my life is much better than it would have been working in the factory!

1. The writer lived in_________ when she was a teenager.

A. Russia B. Japan C. China

2.At first she thought life in the factory would be _        _ than in school.

A. more careful B. more colorful C. more beautiful

3.When she told her father that she wanted to leave school, he expressed his disagreement________.

A. by doing nothing    B. in a special way C. by saying nothing

4. After they visited the factory, the girl________.

A. decided to work there        B. decided to get married        C. changed her mind

5.The underlined word "horrible" means "_     _" in Chinese.

A. 糟糕的    B. 緊張的    C. 浪漫的

When I was a teenager growing up in Russia, I wanted to leave school and have my own life. The only way I could do this was to work in the local brick factory in my town, or get married. I was nervous when I told my father I wanted to leave school. I thought he would say, " No! You are going to college. " He took me by surprise when he said, "OK. We'll go to the brick factory. "

Two days later, he took me to the factory. I had a very romantic idea of working in a factory. ' I had imagined everyone to be friends working together and having fun. I even imagined there would be music and singing. I guess I had watched too many movies as a teenager.

When we arrived at the factory gates, my father spoke to the guard and one minute later we were inside. My father said, "Take your time. Look around." I walked around the factory looking at the building, the workers, and listening to the noise. It was horrible. I ran back to my. father and said, "I want to go home. "

He asked me, "What do you think of the factory?"

"It's terrible," I replied.

"And marriage is even worse!" he said.

I went back to school the next day thinking about studying hard so I could get into a good college. I enjoyed studying English so I decided to major in languages at college. Thanks to my father and our trip to the brick factory, I now work at the United Nations and my father is very proud of me. I married a very good man and my life is much better than it would have been working in the factory!

1. The writer lived in_________ when she was a teenager.

A. Russia B. Japan C. China

2.At first she thought life in the factory would be _        _ than in school.

A. more careful B. more colorful C. more beautiful

3.When she told her father that she wanted to leave school, he expressed his disagreement________.

A. by doing nothing    B. in a special way C. by saying nothing

4. After they visited the factory, the girl________.

A. decided to work there        B. decided to get married        C. changed her mind

5.The underlined word "horrible" means "_     _" in Chinese.

A. 糟糕的    B. 緊張的    C. 浪漫的

When I was young, my father used to grow carnations — a kind of flower that was red, pink and white. He took care of them with much love and devotion (摯愛). When he came home from work every day, he would enjoy watching them. And he used to tell us, “No one should touch my flowers.”

One day, my younger sister Clemence, who loved Dad very much, wanted to help him. So she cut the carnations from their stems (枝干) one by one and arranged them on the ground. She believed that Dad would be very pleased to see them that way. When Mom and I realized what my sister had done, we became completely speechless. However, my sister didn’t know why no one showed her any appreciation (欣賞). When Dad came back, he went straight to watch the flowers as usual. Seeing his flowers lying on the ground like dead animals, he was surprised at first. He looked towards the street to see if it was any of the neighbor’s children who could have done it. Then he looked at Mom in silence. Finally Mom, who always taught us to tell the truth, said, “No bad neighbors did this great job, only your lovely daughter Clemence.” Dad’s face changed into a smile and then he said, “Do I have better flowers than my lovely daughter?” My younger sister smiled and hugged Dad strongly.

1. How many kinds of colors do carnation have according to the passage?

A. One.B. Two. C. Three.D. Four.

2.Why did Clemence cut the carnations from their stems?

A. Because she didn’t like them.

B. Because Dad told her to do so.

C. Because Mum told her to do so.

D. Because she wanted to help her dad.

3.What does the underlined word “speechless” mean in Chinese?

A. 無(wú)語(yǔ)的 B. 傷心的C. 驚奇的D. 無(wú)助的

4.What did the father feel after hearing what the mother said?

A. Angry. B. Excited.

C. pleased. D. Sad.

5.What’s the best title for this passage?

A. My Cleverest SisterB. My Dad’s Best Flower

C. My Dad’s CarnationsD. My Honest Mother