As a teenager, I didn’t get along well with my mother before. She   36  every aspect of my life, leaving me unable to have my   37  space.
About two years ago, I had a   38  with her. I just couldn’t control my bad temper that day. I said something   39  to mum. Mum was hurt, but she went away without saying anything.
When I was   40  at home. I started to recall the happy time we spent together and realized that I should   41 . But when I saw mum, the   42 moments pushed all the thoughts of saying sorry out of my head. I came back to my bedroom, feeling distracted (心煩意亂的). That night I didn’t’  43  well.
The next day, I got up earlier than usual. And I   44  a letter beside my bed. It was mum! In this letter, mum   45  how she loved me and how she worried about me. The   46  of mum’s love raced through my mind when I read it. I couldn’t help crying out. I went out of the bedroom and saw mum standing there   47  me.
“I am sorry, mum, Please   48  me!” I said with a guilty conscience (愧疚感). Then I saw tears of   49  coming into mum’s eyes. We embraced (擁抱) emotionally. That moment was totally  in my   50 forever.
From then on,    51  there is argument between us, we will write our feelings and thoughts to each other. Then we can   52  and soon get on well.
By telling my story, I just want   53  people to know that if you have problems with you parents, try to find the   54 . Never think that you have nothing to talk with them. They are the persons who always love you and stand   55 you! Maybe they’ve hurt you before, probably just because they didn’t know how to express love.

小題1:	A．took notice of B．took care of C．took hold of D．took the place of

小題2:	A．private B．wide C．empty D．quiet

小題3:	A．talk B．conflict C．fight D．decision

小題4:	A．cheerful B．wonderful C．harmful D．hurtful

小題5:	A．a(chǎn)sleep B．sleepy C．a(chǎn)lone D．lonely

小題6:	A．complain B．tolerate C．change D．a(chǎn)pologize

小題7:	A．unhappy B．uncertain C．unfriendly D．unfamiliar

小題8:	A．eat B．feel C．sleep D．live

小題9:	A．wrote B．found C．received D．read

小題10:

A．implied B．explained C．declared D．promised

小題11:

A．words B．stories C．records D．details

小題12:

A．pointing at B．smiling at C．waiting for D．looking for

小題13:

A．forgive B．a(chǎn)ccept C．forget D．punish

小題14:

A．happiness B．regret C．sadness D．shame

小題15:

A．diary B．memory C．imagination D．life

小題16:

A．because B．unless C．if D．a(chǎn)lthough

小題17:

A．understand B．play C．think D．relax

小題18:

A．unkind B．impatient C．a(chǎn)dult D．young

小題19:

A．a(chǎn)nswers B．methods C．solutions D．suggestions

小題20:

A．for B．by C．in D．a(chǎn)gainst

Have you ever had to decide whether to go shopping or stay home and watch TV on a weekend? Now you  36 do both at the same time. Home shopping television networks(網(wǎng)絡(luò)) have become a  37 for many people to shop without  38 having to leave their homes.
Some shoppers are  39 of department stores and supermarkets—40 the crowds, waiting in long lines, and sometimes   41 of finding anything they want to buy. They’d rather sit quietly at home in front of the TV set and   42  a friendly announcer describe a product   43  a model shows it. And they can   44  around the clock, buying something   45  by making a phone call.
Department stores and even mail-under companies are   46  to join in the success of home shopping. Large department stores are busy  47 their own TV channels(頻道)to encourage TV shopping in the future.  48 can ask questions about products and place   49  , all through their TV sets.
Will shopping by television   50  take the place of shopping in stores? Some industry managers think so.  51  many people find shopping at a   52  store a great enjoyment. And for many shoppers, it is still important to   53  or try on dresses they want to buy. That’s   54  specialists say that in the future, home shopping will   55  together with store shopping but will never entirely replace(取代) it.

小題1:	A．must B．should C．shall D．can

小題2:	A．program B．way C．reason D．purpose

小題3:	A．ever B．never C．still D．once

小題4:	A．proud B．fond C．tired D．careful

小題5:	A．fighting B．striking C．treating D．stopping

小題6:	A．sense B．doubt C．hope D．feeling

小題7:	A．see B．watch C．let D．notice

小題8:	A．until B．since C．if D．while

小題9:	A．shop B．wait C．turn D．deliver

小題10:

A．suitably B．cheaply C．simply D．hardly

小題11:

A．nervous B．lucky C．equal D．eager

小題12:

A．putting up B．making up C．setting up D．looking up

小題13:

A．Guests B．Assistants C．Managers D．Customers

小題14:

A．orders B．goods C．books D．a(chǎn)nswers

小題15:

A．lastly B．finally C．especially D．fortunately

小題16:

A．Then B．Yet C．However D．Therefore

小題17:

A．general B．popular C．real D．true

小題18:

A．design B．make C．wear D．touch

小題19:

A．how B．why C．what D．when

小題20:A. exist               B. practice         D. follow           D. appear

My 8­year­old son，Kevin，has made friends with some boys in the neighborhood. He has been 36    with them after school. My wife，and I are 37    he has other kids to be with and we have __38__ and encouraged him to play with his friends. We also want Kevin to learn __39__，so we have asked him to tell us __40__ he's going and to come home at a specified time.
The __41__ started when Kevin didn't come home on time. On one occasion，I asked Kevin to be back at 6 pm. By 6：30，I needed to go __42__ him. I found him at a friend's house，and he looked 43    that he couldn't continue playing. After we came home，I sat  Kevin down for a talk about the _44  _ of  keeping his word. I told him I was not worried about his arriving a few __45__ late， after a half hour， he told me he understood and I was _46_  _.
The next day，I came home from work at about 6:30 pm and my wife asked me to go and get Kevin back __47__ she said he should be back home at 6. I walked to his friend's house and a look of __48__ appeared on Kevin's face when he came to the door.
At __49__，my wife and I spoke to Kevin about why he didn't come home on time again. He said he just wanted to _50__ playing. This was __51__，so we decided to ground(罰不準(zhǔn)出門)him for a week. This __52_ no playing with his friends.
For the next week，whenever his friends came to ask for Kevin，we let him __53__ to them that he was grounded. We felt this would help him be responsible for his __54__.
As a __55__，I believe one of the most important things we can teach our kids is self-responsibility and that actions have consequences.

小題1:	A．studying B．playing C．chatting D．quarreling

小題2:	A．glad　　 B．lucky C．worried D．sure

小題3:	A．made　 B．a(chǎn)llowed C．trained D．forced

小題4:	A．a(chǎn)musements B．communication C．honesty D．responsibility

小題5:	A．when　 B．why C．where D．whenever

小題6:	A．changes B．conflicts C．worries D．problems

小題7:	A．looking for B．picking up C．waiting for D．calling up

小題8:	A．a(chǎn)ngry　 B．nervous C．disappointed D．a(chǎn)shamed

小題9:	A．quality B．importance C．stories D．ways

小題10:

A．hours　 B．minutes C．days D．times

小題11:

A．satisfied B．shocked C．surprised D．concerned

小題12:

A．if　　　 B．unless　 C．because　 D．so

小題13:

A．guilt　 B．disappointment C．excitement D．hatred

小題14:

A．home B．school C．work D．office

小題15:

A．finish B．keep C．learn D．stop

小題16:

A．impossible B．impolite C．unacceptable D．unbelievable

小題17:

A．meant B．suggested C．showed D．implied

小題18:

A．reply B．a(chǎn)pologize C．tell D．explain

小題19:

A．decisions B．words C．a(chǎn)ctions D．friends

小題20:

A．teacher B．parent C．writer D．professor

When a storm is coming, most people leave the area as quickly as possible and head for safety…But there are a few people who will get into their cars and go straight for the center of the storm．These people are willing to risk being killed by floods or 100-Kilometer- an-hour winds for the excitement of watching the storm close up．
　 “Storm chasing (追逐)”is becoming an increasingly popular hobby，especially in the Midwest of the United States, where there are frequent storms between March and July．A storm chaser begins the day by checking the Internet for the latest weather reports, and then drives up to l,000 kilometers to where the storm will be and waits for it to develop．
　  Although anyone can do it，storm chasing is extremely dangerous．The power of a big storm  can throw a cow into the air or destroy a whole house in seconds．Storm chasers are also often hurt in accidents caused by driving in a heavy rain．If you are a beginner, it is much safer to join a group for storm - chasing vacations during the storm season．
　  Even then，storm chasing is not all adventure and excitement．“Storm chasing is 95％driving，”says Daniel Lynch，who spends most of his summer storm-chasing．“Sometimes you
Can sit around for hours waiting for something to happen，and all you get is blue sky and a few light showers.”
　  However，for storm chasers，it is all worth it. “When you get close to a storm，it is the most exciting sight you will ever see in your life，”says Jasper Morley．“Every storm is an example of the power of nature．It is the greatest show on Earth．”
小題1:For storm chasing，the first thing storm chasers do is to　　　 ．

A．head straight for the center of the storm

B．get into the car for safety

C．wait patiently for the storm to develop

D．collect information about a coming storm

小題2:Beginners of storm chasing are advised　　　　
　 

A．not to drive in a heavy rain

B．to do it in an organized way

C．not to get too close to a storm

D．to spend more time on it in summer

小題3:By saying “it is all worth it” in the last paragraph，the author means that　　　

A．storm chasing costs a lot of money

B．storm chasing is worth hours of waiting

C．storm chasing is worth hours of waiting

D．a(chǎn) storm presents the greatest show on Earth

小題4:What can we learn from the text?

A．Sometimes storm chasers get nothing but disappointment．

B．Many storm chasers get killed in the storms．

C．Storm chasing is becoming popular around the world．

D．Storm chasing is only fit for young people

For years I wanted a flower garden. I spent hours and days thinking of different things I could plant that would look nice together.
But then we had Matthew. And Marvin. And the twins, Alisa and Alan. And then Helen. Five children. I was too busy raising them to grow a garden.
Money was tight, as well as time. Often when my children were little, one of them would want something that cost too much, and I’d have to say, “Do you see a money tree outside? Money doesn’t grow on trees, you know.”
Finally, all five children got through high school and college and were off on their own. I started thinking again about having a garden.
I wasn’t sure, though. I mean, gardens do cost money, and after all these years I was used to living on a pretty poor, no-frills budget (預(yù)算).
Then, one spring morning, on Mother’s day, I was working in my kitchen. Suddenly, I realized that cars were tooting their horns as they drove by. I looked out of the window and there was a new tree, planted right in my yard. I thought it must be a weeping willow, because I saw things blowing around on all its branches. Then I put my glasses on—and I couldn’t believe what I saw. There was a money tree in my yard!
I went outside to look. It was true! There were dollar bills, one hundred of them, tied all over the tree. Think of all the garden flowers I could buy with one hundred dollars! There was also a note attached: “IOU eight hours of digging time. Love, Marvin.”
Marvin kept his promise, too. He dug up a nice ten-by-fifteen foot bed for me. And my other children bought me tools, a trellis (繃架), a sunflower stepping stone and gardening books.
That was three years ago. My garden’s now very pretty, just like what I wanted. When I go out to weed or tend my flowers, I don’t seem to miss my children as much as I once did. It feels like they are right there with me.
I live up in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where winters are long and cold, and summers are too short. But every year now, when winter sets in, I look out of my window and think of the flowers I’ll see next spring in my little garden. I think about what my children did for me, and I get tears in my eyes---every time.
I’m still not sure that money grows on trees. But I know love does.
小題1:By saying “Do you see a money tree outside?”, the mother actually means _____.

A．Observation is the best teacher	B．Seeing is believing
C．The outsider sees the most of the game	D．It is not easy to gain money

小題2:The underlined word “no-frills” in the fifth paragraph is similar in meaning to _____.

A．wasteful

B．tight

C．deserted

D．helpful

小題3:From the last two paragraphs we can infer that the mother is _____.

A．divorced when she was young	B．not caring for her kids any longer
C．a(chǎn)lone but not at all lonely	D．prouder with her garden than with her kids

小題4:The best title for the passage would probably be _____.

A．My flower garden	B．Marvin helps to realize my dream
C．Love in Michigan	D．Money grows on trees

When you do some minor image editing (修正) on your computer screen, you may make some mistakes, so from time to time you’d click undo (撤消).
There are things in life we cannot undo as easily and completely as we would with our computer files. A wrong turn, a hurtful word said to a loved one, a bad move — these we all commit as we walk our life’s journeys, no matter how careful we are in our steps. Once committed, we can no longer undo many of these mistakes, especially because unlike with our computer documents, each thing we do and say has vast impact as they involve not just us — the file that we are working on — but also others, the unopened files and computer programs in our system.
So I guess our life’s mistakes are not like our pencil scrawls (潦草書寫) that can be effectively corrected with an eraser, or errors on our computer works that can be undone with an undo button. But there are effective and reliable tools we can use—APOLOGY and FORGIVENESS. Simply click the APOLOGY button when you have committed a mistake that has hurt a loved one and the words “I’m Sorry” will flash on the other person’s screen. But, you have to be truly sorry and you must be prepared not to commit the same mistake again for your APOLOGY to work. Sincerity is definitely a necessary part.
When someone clicks the APOLOGY button and the words “I’m sorry” flash on your screen, all you have to do is click back the FORGIVENESS (原諒) button. It means that you have wholeheartedly accepted the other person’s APOLOGY. But not only that. You also have to click it when someone has sent you back the message “It’s okay. Forget about it.”. It means that you are also forgiving yourself for your mistake; that you won’t keep feeling so bad having committed it.
And lastly, don’t forget to keep clicking the SAVE button. Going through the whole process of editing—of doing and undoing, of apologizing and forgiving — is useless if you fail to save the LESSON for future use. Let the saved file be a reminder of the healing process you once went through to make yourself better; for you not to forget the lesson; and for others to access and learn from.
小題1:Which of the following is TRUE?

A．However careful we are, we still make mistakes in life.

B．Things we do and say can affect computer programs in our system.

C．We can undo life’s mistakes if we are careful enough.

D．An eraser is an effective tool for our computer works.

小題2: The APOLOGY button should be clicked when ________.

A．one wants to make the computer work perfectly

B．one’s mistakes won’t influence others any more

C．one is actually saying “I’m sorry”

D．one won’t make the same mistake again

小題3:What does the underlined word “it” in Paragraph 4 refer to?

A．The UNDO button.	B．The APOLOGY button.
C．The SAVE button.	D．The FORGIVENESS button.

小題4:We need to click the SAVE button in life because ________.

A．we want to go through the whole process of editing

B．we need to learn a lesson from the past mistakes

C．we want to make the healing process faster

D．we need to use the computer properly

A company advertised in the newspaper for a sales position. Details of the requirements, salary and benefits were given. It was also clearly stated that applicants needed to take an aptitude test (能力傾向測試) and an interview. However, looking at the whole advertisement, one could not find any contact information of the company.
Most interested applicants thought that it was the company’s HR department’s carelessness or a printing error. They therefore waited patiently for the newspaper to publish an amendment(訂正). But instead of waiting for the newspaper to publish the company details, another three applicants took the initiative(主動(dòng)性) to find out the company’s contact information themselves.
Tim did a search on the Internet. By typing the company’s name, he easily obtained all the information including its contact number. Lisa called up the local telephone number search service and found out the company’s office number. She called up the office and got the required contact information. Donna put in a greater effort in her search. She remembered seeing a poster by the same company in the city so she drove all the way down and made a few rounds to search for it. She finally found it together with the company’s contact information.
Three days after that advertisement was published in the newspaper, most interested applicants were still waiting eagerly for an amendment. On the other hand, the application letters and resumes of Tim, Lisa and Donna had already reached the hands of the company’s HR manager. They were then called up for an interview. During the interview, all went well and immediately they were hired. The three of them were a little surprised at how fast things went on. They were expecting for an aptitude test as stated in the advertisement. The HR director answered them, smiling, “Our test is hidden in the advertisement itself. To be a good salesperson in this age, he or she has to be broad-minded and very importantly, does not follow rigid (死板的) steps or rules. You are all clever. In a short time, you’ve managed to find ways of contacting us. It shows clearly that you have passed the test with flying colors!”
The fools sit around waiting for their chances whereas the wise actively take actions with great initiative.
小題1:According to the passage the company wanted to test the applicants’ ______.

A．sales skills

B．carefulness

C．a(chǎn)ttitude

D．initiative

小題2: Whose search skill is the easiest of all?

A．Tim’s.

B．Lisa’s.

C．Donna’s.

D．None.

小題3:What can we infer from the passage?

A．The HR manager of the company made a mistake.

B．The company meant to omit (遺漏) its contact information.

C．The HR manager of the company was unfit for his / her job.

D．A printing error occurred in the advertisement in the newspaper.

小題4:Which of the statements is NOT correct according to the passage?

A．Many applicants thought the company made a mistake.

B．The advertisement was very special to many applicants.

C．Whoever found the company’s contact information didn’t need to have an interview.

D．The company needed broad-minded and clever salespersons.

小題5:The writer wants to tell us through this passage that ______.

A．no contact information seen in an advertisement might not be the company’s mistake

B．a(chǎn)pplicants should be careful not to be fooled by the company’s advertisement

C．opportunity always belongs to whoever is active and broad-minded

D．there are many successful chances to be found in this age

Transport Guide
The Brisbane City Council (BCC) is responsible for bus and ferry services with in the city limits and suburbs. Most buses will either arrive at the city or an interchange where connecting buses can be caught．BCC buses operate from 5:30 am to 11:00 pm Monday to Thursday and 5:30 am to 12:00 a m on Fridays. On weekends and public holidays buses operate less frequently Pre-paid bus tickets can be purchased from the QUT (Queensland University of Technology)bookshop, the campus news agency, most other news agencies and general stores, and any BCC Customer Service Centre. Short-term students at QUT cannot use their ID cards to gain a discount fare on BCC public transport. You will need to buy an adult ticket to travel. Bus fares are dependent on the number of zones you have to travel. There are several types of ticket:

Zone	Cost (AUD)
	Single	Daily	Off-peak Daily	Ten-Trip Saver	Weekly	Monthly
1	2.50	4.20	3.50	16.80	16.80	67.20
2	2.90	5.00	4.10	20.00	20.00	80.00
3	3.30	5.80	4.70	23.20	23.20	92.80

Single: one way ticket to reach your destination, including transfers within 2 hours.
Daily: unlimited travel within the zones.
Off-peak Daily: discounted unlimited travel between 9:00 am and 3:30 pm and after
7:00 pm Monday to Friday, and all day on weekends and public holidays.
Weekly: unlimited travel within the zones for one week from the date of issue.
Monthly: unlimited travel within the zones for one calendar month from the date of issue.
Ten-trip Saver: 10 trips at any time within the zones on buses and ferries only.
Transport routes, timetables and fare information are available from:
Public Transport Information Centre
69 Ann Street (corner of George St)
Brisbane City
Phone l3 12 30(Transport Information Service)
小題1: The transport guide above is most likely provided by       ．

A．Public Transport Information Centre	B．the Brisbane City Council
C．Queensland University of Technology．	D．BCC Customer Service Centres

小題2: We can learn from the passage that        ．

A．buses are scheduled as usual on weekends and public holidays

B．regular students at QUT need to buy adult tickets

C．Pre-paid tickets can be bought from the Public Transport Information Centre

D．Ten­-trip Savers can be used at off-peak time

小題3:An exchange student staying at QUT for five days has to travel between zones every day．What type of ticket would he probably buy?

A．Single．

B．Weekly．

C．Off-peak Daily．

D．Ten-trip Saver．

When women sit together to watch a movie on TV, they usually talk simultaneously（同時(shí)的）about a variety of subjects, including children, men, careers and what’ s happening in their lives. When groups of men and women watch a movie together, the men usually end up telling the women to shut up. Men can either talk or watch the screen -- they can’ t do both -- and they don’ t understand that women can. Besides, women consider that the point of all getting together is to have a good time and develop relationships -- not just to sit there like couch potatoes staring at the screen.
During the ad breaks, a man often asks a woman to explain the plot and tell him where the relationship between the characters is going. He is unable, unlike women, to read the subtle body language signals that reveal how the characters are feeling emotionally. Since women originally spent their days with the other women and children in the group,  they developed the ability to communicate successfully in order to maintain relationships. For a woman, speech continues to have such a clear purpose: to build relationships and make friends. For men, to talk is to relate the facts.
Men see the telephone as a communication tool for sending facts and information to other people, but a woman sees it as a means of bonding. A woman can spend two weeks on vacation with her girlfriend and, when she returns home, telephone the same girlfriend and talk for another two hours.
There is no convincing evidence that social conditioning, the fact that girls’ mothers talked them more, is the reason why girls talk more than boys. Psychiatrist Dr Michael Lewis, author Social Behaviour and Language Acquisition, conducted experiments that found mothers talked to and looked at, baby girls more often than baby boys. Scientific evidence shows parents respond the brain bias of their children. Since a girl’ s brain is better organized to send and receive speech, we therefore talk to them more. Consequently, mothers who try to talk to their sons are usually pointed to receive only short grunts in reply.
小題1:While watching TV with others, women usually talk a lot because they       

A．a(chǎn)re afraid of awkward silence with their families and friends

B．can both talk and watch the screen at the same time

C．think they can have a good time and develop relationships

D．have to explain the plot and body language to their husbands

小題2: After a vacation with her girlfriend, a woman would talk to her again on the phone for hours in order to              .

A．experience the happy time again	B．keep a close tie with her
C．recommend her a new scenic spot	D．remind her of something forgotten

小題3:What does the author want to tell us most?

A．Women’ s brains are better organized for language and communication

B．Women love to talk because they are more sociable than men.

C．Men do not like talking because they rely more on facts.

D．Social conditioning is not the reason why women love talking.

小題4:Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?

A．Women Are Socially Trained to Talk

B．Talking Maintains Relationships

C．Women Love to Talk

D．Men Talk Differently from Women.

According to some researchers, you should not praise children for everything that they do. It does not help them build self-confidence.
Most parents and teachers agree that praise can help increase children’s self-confidence —the more, the better. However, according to some researchers, only proper praise is good for children. If adults praise everything children do, it makes children look for praise all the time, not trying to do their best. "Teachers should not say things like ’good job’ or ’nice work’ whenever a child does anything. They should encourage them to continue to improve," some researchers advise.
Another idea is that children with high self-confidence are happier, and do better at school. About this, Marshall Duke, a researcher in children, says, "High self-confidence brought in by too much praise does not make children happier, get more, or become able to do more. Finding a child’s advantages (強(qiáng)項(xiàng)) and developing them can help build confidence more than too much praise can." Praise also loses its effect (影響) if it is given equally to all students.
"It’s important to tell children the truth about what they’ve done. Honest feedback (反饋) is far better than empty praise," Duke adds. "People have got into the habit of not telling children when they’re wrong. That makes it hard for them to deal with difficulties when they grow up. That’s just how the world is."
小題1:According to some researchers, if parents praise their children too much, their children will ______.

A．a(chǎn)lways look for praise

B．increase self-confidence

C．become strong

D．do better in their studies

小題2: In order to help children build self-confidence, some researchers advise parents to ______.

A．make them live more happily

B．let them do more difficult work

C．help them do better in school

D．encourage them to improve

小題3:Which of the following is TRUE, according to the passage?

A．Praise makes children become successful.

B．Children don’t know what they’re really good at.

C．The same praise for all children has no meaning.

D．Duke thinks praise is more important than finding children’s strengths.

小題4: What is the last paragraph about?

A．It’s important to have the habit of praising children.

B．Children should know their mistakes as soon as possible.

C．We should praise children honestly and tell them their mistakes.

D．What children with high self-confidence are like.