Tim Richter and his wife, Linda, had taught for over 30 years near Buffalo, New York--he in computers, she in special education. "Teaching means everything to us," Tim would say. In April1998, he learned he would need a heart operation. It was the kind of news that leads to some serious thinking about life's purpose.
Not long after the surgery, Tim saw a brochure describing Imagination Library, a program started by Dolly Parton' s foundation (基金會(huì)) that mailed a book every month to children from birth to age five in the singer's home town of Sevier, Tennessee.“I thought, maybe Linda and I could do something like this when we retire," Tim recalls.  He placed the brochure on his desk, "as a reminder."
Five years later, now retired and with that brochure still on the desk, Tim clicked on imagination library .com. The program had been opened up to partners who could take advantage of book and postage discounts.
The quality of the books was of great concern to the Richters. Rather than sign up online, they went to Dollywood for a look-see. “We didn’t want to give the children rubbish,” says Linda. The books-reviewed each year by teachers, literacy specialists and Dollywood board members-included classics such as Ezra Jack Keats’s The Snowy Day and newer books like Anna Dewdney’s Llama Llama series.
Satisfied, the couple set up the Richter Family Foundation and got to work. Since 2004, they have shipped more than 12,200 books to preschoolers in their in their area. Megan Williams, a mother of four, is more than appreciative: “This program introduces us to books I’ve never heard of .”
The Richters spend about ＄400 a month sending books to 200 children. “Some people sit there and wait to die,” says Tim. “Others get as busy as they can in the time they have left.”
小題1:
What led Tim to think seriously about the meaning of life?

A．His health problem.	B．His love for teaching.
C．The influence of his wife.	D．The news from the Web.

小題2:
What did Tim want to do after learning about Imagination Library?

A．Give out brochures.	B．Do something similar.
C．Write books for children	D．Retire from being a teacher.

小題3:
According to the text, Dollly Parton is           .

A．a(chǎn) well-known surgeon	B．a(chǎn) mother of a four-year-old
C．a(chǎn) singer born in Tennessee	D．a(chǎn) computer programmer

小題4:
Why did the Richters go to Dollywood?

A．To avoid signing up online.

B．To meet Dollywood board members.

C．To make sure the books were the newest.

D．To see if the books were of good quality.

小題5:
What can we learn from Tim’s words in the last paragraph?

A．He needs more money to help the children.

B．He wonders why some people are so busy.

C．He tries to save those waiting to die.

D．Hconsiders his efforts worthwhile.

Negative （消極的）self talk and negative energy can affect you m many ways and cause you additional stress. Because of this，developing more Positive self talk’s an important way to reduce stress in your life. You can help yourself maintain a positive frame of mind 一which will help with positive self talk一by surrounding yourself with positive energy in your life. You can get that by adding some elements to your life.
Listening to music that not only has a soothing melody，but an uplifting message，can be great for developing positive self talk. Have you ever had a song “stuck in your head” for a few hours or days，the lyrics repeating themselves in your mind?’’ If those lyrics were positive and inspirational，that would be a good thing. It’s a much better mental soundtrack to have than a running stream of complaints，criticisms of self-limiting thoughts，or even songs that had more depressing or sad lyrics.
Books on strength, personal power, enlightenment, or self help can be good resources to help you change your outlook and the things you say to yourself. Rather than bringing habitual self-defeating thoughts，you can find yourself thinking of new can-do concepts when times get tough.
One of the most important ways you can get and keep positive energy in your life is with the company you keep. Do your friends uplift you，or bring you down? Are they critical，or complementary? Ideal friendships provide support when you’re down, fun when you’re up，wisdom when you’re lost，and positive regard. Good friends can inspire you to reach greater heights，and see your strengths even when you don’t always. Pay attention to how your friends make you feel，and if they’re less than supportive，start putting your energy and time toward people who are better suited to be your friend.
In addition，positive affirmations （肯定） can certainly change your self talk from negative to positive. Now，why not begin working positive affirmations into your life in some creative ways?
小題1:
What does the passage mainly talk about?

A．Reducing stress by surrounding yourself with positive energy.

B．Adding some elements to your life.

C．Getting positive energy from the company you keep.

D．Changing your self talk with positive affirmation.

小題2:
How many ways does the author suggest to maintain a positive frame of mind?

A．3.

B．4.

C．5.

D．6.

小題3:
If you have something “stuck in your head”。 you probably ________.

A．keep singing the same song for a long time

B．keep thinking of this thing all the time

C．regard the lyrics of a song as positive

D．a(chǎn)re developing positive self-talk

小題4:
According to the passage，your best company should be those who __________.

A．uplift you or bring you down	B．provide fun when you’re down
C．encourage you to do things even better	D．a(chǎn)re less than supportive

小題5:
What will probably be talked about in the following paragraph?

A．How negative self talk influences a person.

B．How positive self talk reduces stress in one’s life.

C．Some great ways of making great friends.

D．Some creative ways of practicing affirmation.

            475 Riverside Drive
New York N.Y. 10027
Jan.15, 2011
Dear John,
I'm sorry you didn't get the part you tried out for in that play. I know how much you wanted to be in the play. Now you feel that maybe acting isn't the right future for you. I think you're wrong. You're a good actor. Do you remember when you played Caesar in your summer theatre group's play? You were excellent . People clapped(鼓掌)every time you walked on stage（舞臺(tái)). Even the other actors loved you.
All actors have to get used to being turned down for a job. It's part of an actor's life. Even famouse actors don't get every part they want. I think you should give acting another chance. You love it so much, and you're good at it. Don't be discouraged because you lose one part in the play. Wait a bit, and try for another one. After all , you can always give up some other time.
Love,
Jane
小題1:
Jane wrote this letter because____.

A．she wanted John to get a part in the play he was trying out for

B．she wanted to tell John that he shouldn't give up acting.

C．she wanted to tell John how to become an actor.

D．she was unhappy with John.

小題2:
Jane talks about other actors to show Jon that ____.

A．they are as bad as he is	B．a(chǎn)cting is a hard life
C．they sometimes get turned down for parts they want	D．they are lucky enough

小題3:
What does Jane think of John?

A．He is a good actor, and some day he will be successful.

B．He is too easily dicouraged to become a good actor.

C．He is a better actor than the person who has got the part.

D．He is as unlucky as the other actors.

小題4:
The person who wrote this letter probably ____.

A．is an actress.	B．cares about John
C．wants to be an actress some day	D．envies at John's success.

One hot night last July, when our new baby wouldn’t or couldn’t sleep, I tried everything I could think of : a warm bottle, songs gentle rocking. Nothing would settle him down. Guessing that I would have a long night ahead of me, I brought a portable (便攜式)TV into his room, figuring that watching the late movie was as good a way as any to kill off the hours till dawn. To my surprise, as soon as the TV lit up, the baby quieted right now, his little eyes focused brightly on the tube. Not to waste an opportunity for sleep, I then walked out of the room, leaving him to watch the actors celebrate John Bellushi's forty-fifth birthday.
My wife and I heard no more of the baby that night, and the next morning when I went into his room, I found him still watching TV himself. I found in my baby's a metaphor（啟示）for the new generation. My wife and I had given him some books to examine, but he merely spit upon them. When we read to him, he did not feel comfortable. And so it is in the schools. We find that our students don't read , that they look down upon reading and scold those of us who teach it. All they want to do is watching TV.
After this experience with the baby, however, I have reached a conclusion: “Let them watch it!” If television is that much more attractive to children than books, why should we fight it? Let them watch it all they want!
小題1:
Father brought a TV set into his son's room____.     

A．to stop his son crying	B．to let him learn something
C．to make him frightened	D．to let his son spend a good night

小題2:
To the couple’s surprise the boy ___after they brought a TV set into his room.

A．soon fell asleep	B．cried all that night
C．became quiet and silent	D．slept quite well that night

小題3:
Form the last paragraph we know that the writer thinks it____.

A．terrible for children to watch so many TV programmes

B．useless for parents to blame their children

C．necessary for TV stations to improve their TV programmes

D．favorable for children to watch the programmes they like

Count Me Out
Call me old-fashioned. Call me old. Call me what you want, but I refuse to become part of this new Internet world.
I do not possess a computer at home or at the office. Actually, I stopped going to an office 35 years ago, when all communications were done with a pen, a typewriter, or, if the matter was of world-shaking importance, over the telephone. Likewise, if you like something advertised in a newspaper or magazine, you visited the shop selling it at the given address, or you phoned the number shown. Then you spoke to the fellow and asked for further details.
Tell me what you think of the following ad that appeared the other day in the newspaper. It was for a cure for cancer and this is what it said: “Awareness is the key. Visit spfulford. com at the awareness site.” There was no address or telephone number for the site. So what do unfortunate people without a computer do if they are seeking a cure for their illness?
There are, I am told, certain advantages in having access to the Internet. You can, for example, send love messages across the world or even get married to someone that you meet online. This bit doesn’t interest me; I have been happily married for 60 years. There are, of course, other activities for Internet users besides finding love. They can pay bills, order groceries, or discuss with their doctors.
And this is by no means all. More amazing things are yet to come in the near future. I read a newspaper report recently that quoted Stephen Hawking, an important British scientist. “The complexity of a computer as it exists today is probably less than the brain of an earthworm,” he said. “But, as technology advances, computers will become more complex, and a time may come when the Internet may develop ‘consciousness.’ In other words, the Internet will be able to think, have feelings, and may well be able to act on its own.”
If Professor Hawking is right, I may change my attitude to computers. As I grow older each day, I would like one of those that not only thinks for me but also accepts responsibilities for all my mistakes.
小題1:
What’s the meaning of the title “Count Me Out”?

A．Get me out of the Internet world.

B．Computers are trying to take control of life.

C．Modern technology pushes old people away.

D．Do not expect me to be a supporter of the Internet.

小題2:
According to Paragraph 2, the author thinks computers are         .

A．unnecessary

B．convenient

C．expensive

D．a(chǎn)dvanced

小題3:
What might the author like about the future computer?

A．Taking blames.	B．Curing illnesses.
C．Delivering messages.	D．Responding to emotions.

We would probably all be amazed if we watched a videotape of ourselves performing basically unconscious acts as we go about the business of the day. These unconscious acts consist of all the little personal habits that we don’t even think about, but definitely should. These are some of the things that present an image of who we are to others, and if we are careless in performing them, this image may well be other than we would like it to be.
Parents who insist that their children practice good manners and habits at home are doing them a great service, for these habits then become lifelong and the natural way they do things. It proves true that their unconscious actions will reflect a well-mannered person.
People who, for example, eat with both arms on the table at home will likely do so when out. Those who are lazy and slow in private will certainly be so in public. Children who are permitted to be disrespectful to their parents will follow suit with other adults, and will, most likely, become adults who are disrespectful of others. This is an area where the saying “practice makes perfect” may be applied.
There is an article about the actress, Audrey Hepburn, known for her beautiful carriage and posture. According to her biographer, her grandmother tied her neck to the back of her chair, at table, so that she would not drop down suddenly over her food, but rather would learn to put only small amounts of food on her spoon or fork and bring them to her mouth. This is a rather extreme “at home” method for the development of erect (直立的) posture, but it does illustrate the effectiveness of practicing good habits so that, when in public, they are instinctive.
小題1:
Which of the following expresses the main idea of the passage?

A．Parents should be responsible for their children’s good habits.

B．The actress is well known for her beautiful posture.

C．We should always be aware of our manners.

D．Without good manners, one can never be perfect.

小題2:
Those who eat with both arms on the table at home ______.

A．will probably have the same habit when they have meals in the restaurant

B．will probably change the habit when eating out with their relatives

C．will feel embarrassed when having meals with so many strangers in public

D．will always put their arms on the table no matter where they eat

小題3:
The meaning of “practice makes perfect” in the third paragraph is ______.

A．the more practice one has, the better job he will do

B．the more perfect one is, the more practice he needs

C．if one has enough practice, he will become perfect

D．perfect makes a person practice more

小題4:
Which of the following are NOT true?

A．If we are not careful about our unconscious acts, the images of ourselves presented to others will be quite undesirable.

B．The good habits formed in one’s childhood will benefit him throughout his life.

C．If parents do not care about the disrespectful attitude adopted by their children towards themselves, their children might be disrespectful of others.

D．It is unlikely that a well-mannered person will not embarrass himself in public.

The teacher who did the most to encourage me was, as it happens, my aunt. She was Myrtle C. Manigault, the wife of my mother’s brother Bill. She taught me in second grade at all-black Summer School in Camden, New Jersey.
During my childhood and youth, Aunt Myrtle encouraged me to develop every aspect of my potential, without regard for what was considered practical or possible for black females. I liked to sing; she listened to my voice and pronounced it good. I couldn’t dance; she taught me the basic dancing steps. She took me to the theatre—not just children’s theatre, but adult comedies and dramas—and her faith that I could appreciate adult plays was not disappointed.
My aunt also took down books from her extensive library and shared them with me. I had books at home, but they were all serious classics. Even as a child I had a strong liking for humour, and I’ll never forget the joy of discovering Don Marquis’s Archy & Mehitabel through her.
Most important, perhaps, Aunt Myrtle provided my first opportunity to write for publication. A writer herself for one of the black newspapers, she suggested my name to the editor as a “youth columnist”. My column, begun when I was fourteen, was supposed to cover teenage social activities—and it did—but it also gave me the freedom to write on many other subjects as well as the habit of gathering material, the discipline of meeting deadlines, and, after graduation from college six years later, a solid collection of published material that carried my name and was my passport to a series of writing jobs.
Today Aunt Myrtle is still an enthusiastic supporter of her “favourite niece”. Like a diamond, she has reflected a bright, multifaceted (多面的) image of possibilities to every pupil who has crossed her path.
小題1:Which of the following did Aunt Myrtle do to the author during her childhood and youth?

A．She lent her some serious classics.

B．She cultivated her taste for music.

C．She discovered her talent for dancing.

D．She introduced her to adult plays.

小題2:What does Archy and Mehitabel in Paragraph 3 probably refer to?

A．A book of great fun.	B．A writer of high fame.
C．A serious masterpiece.	D．A heartbreaking play.

小題3:Aunt Myrtle recommended the author to a newspaper editor mainly to ______.

A．develop her capabilities for writing

B．give her a chance to collect material

C．involve her in teenage social activities

D．offer her a series of writing jobs

小題4:We can conclude from the passage that Aunt Myrtle was a teacher who ______.

A．trained pupils to be diligent and well-disciplined

B．gave pupils confidence in exploiting their potential

C．emphasized what was practical or possible for pupils.

D．helped pupils overcome difficulties in learning

In the fall of 1985. I was a bright-eyed girl heading off to Howard University, aiming at a legal career and dreaming of sitting on a Supreme Court bench somewhere. Twenty-one years later I am later I am still a bright-eyed dreamer and one with quite a different tale to tell.
My grandma, an amazing woman, graduated from college an the age of 65. She was the first in our family to reach that goal. But one year after I started college, she developed cancer. I made the choice to withdraw from college to care for her. It meant that school and my personal dream would have to wait.
Then I got married with another dream: building my family with a combination of adopt and biological children. In 1999, we adopted our first son. To lay eyes on him was fantastic---and very emotional. A year later came our second adopted boy. Then followed son No. 3. In 2003, I gave birth to another boy.
You can imagine how fully occupied I became, raising four boys under the age of 81. Our home was a complete zoo---a joyous zoo. Not surprising, I never did make it back to college full-time. But I never gave up on the dream either. I had only one choice: to find a way. That meant talking as few as one class each semester.
The hardest part was feeling guilty about the time I spent away from the boys. They often wanted me to stay home with them. There certainly were times I wanted to quit, But I knew I should set an example for them to follow through the rest of their lives.
In 2007, I graduated from the University of North Carolina. It took me over 21 years to get my college degree！
I am not special, just single-minded. It always struck me that when you’re looking at a big challenge from the outside it looks huge, but when you’re in the midst of it, it just seems normal. Everything you want won’t arrive in your life on one day. It’s a process. Remember；little steps add up to big dreams.
小題1:When the author went to Howard University, her dream was tobe    

A．a(chǎn) writer

B．a(chǎn) teacher

C．a(chǎn) judge

D．a(chǎn) doctor

小題2:Why did the author quit school in her second year of college?

A．She wanted to study by herself.

B．She fell in love and got married.

C．She suffered from a serious illness.

D．She decided to look after her grandma.

小題3:What can we learn about the author from Paragraphs 4 and 5?
She was buy yet happy with her family life.
She ignored her guilty feeling for her sons.
She wanted to remain a full-time housewife.
She was too confused to make a correct choice.
小題4:What dose the author mostly want to tell us in the last paragraph?
Failure is the mother of success.
Little by little ,one goes far.
Every coin has two sides.
Well begun ,half done.
小題5:Which of the following can best describe the author ?
Caring and determine.
Honest and responsible.
Ambitious and sensitive .
Innocent and single-minded.

It had been some time since Jack had seen the old man. College, career, and life itself got in the way. In fact, Jack moved clear across the country in pursuit of his dreams. There, in the rush of his busy life, Jack had little time to think about the past and often no time to spend with his wife and son. He was working on his future, and nothing could stop him.
Over the phone, his mother told him, “Mr. Belser died last night. The funeral is Wednesday.” Memories flashed through his mind like an old newsreel（紀(jì)錄片） as he sat quietly remembering his childhood days.
“Jack, did you hear me?”
“Oh, sorry, Mom. Yes, I heard you. It’s been so long since I thought of him. I’m sorry, but I honestly thought he died years ago,” Jack said.
Well, he didn’t forget you. Every time I saw him he’d ask how you were doing. He’d reminisce (回憶) about the many days you spent over ‘his side of the fence’ as he put it,” Mom told him.
“I loved that old house he lived in,” Jack said.
“You know, Jack, after your father died, Mr. Belser stepped in to make sure you had a man’s influence in your life,” she said.
“He’s the one who taught me carpentry. I wouldn’t be in this business if it weren’t for him. He spent a lot of time teaching me things he thought were important… Mom, I’ll be there for the funeral,” Jack said.
Busy as he was, he kept his word. Jack caught the next flight to his hometown. Mr. Belser’s funeral was small and uneventful. He had no children of his own, and most of his relatives had passed away.
The night before they had to return home, Jack and his Mom stopped by to see the old house next door one more time, which was exactly as he remembered. Every step held memories. Every picture, every piece of furniture… Jack stopped suddenly.
“What’s wrong, Jack?” his Mom asked.
“The box is gone,” he said.
“What box?” Mom asked.
“There was a small gold box that he kept locked on top of his desk. I must have asked him a thousand times what was inside. All he’d ever tell me was ‘the thing I value most’,” Jack said.
It was gone. Everything about the house was exactly how Jack remembered it, except for the box. He figured someone from the Belser family had taken it.
“Now, I’ll never know what was so valuable to him,” Jack said sadly.
Returning to his office the next day, he found a package on his desk. The return address caught his attention.
“Mr. Harold Belser” it read.
Jack tore open the package. There inside was the gold box and an envelope. Jack’s hands shook as he read the note inside.
“Upon my death, please forward this box and its contents to Jack Bennett. It’s the thing I valued most in my life.” A small key was taped to the letter. His heart racing, and tears filling his eyes, Jack carefully unlocked the box. There inside he found a beautiful gold pocket watch. Running his fingers slowly over the fine cover, he opened it.
Inside he found these words carved: “Jack, Thanks for your time! Harold Belser.”
“Oh, My God! This is the thing he valued most…”
Jack held the watch for a few minutes, then called his assistant and cleared his appointments for the next two days. “Why?” his assistant asked.
“I need some time to spend with my son,” he said.
小題1:Why did Jack think Mr. Belser died years ago?

A．College and career prevented him from remembering Mr. Bleser.

B．Jack was too busy with his business and family to think about Mr. Belser.

C．Jack was too busy realizing his dreams to think about Mr. Belser.

D．His present busy life washed away his childhood memories.

小題2:Jack’s mother told him on the phone about Mr. Belser EXCEPT that ______.

A．Mr. Belser often asked how Jack was doing

B．Mr. Belser’s funeral would take place on Wednesday

C．Mr. Belser had asked for Jack’s mailing address

D．Mr. Belser had pleasant memories of their time together

小題3:Why did Jack say he needed some time to spend with his son?

A．He was very tired of his work and wanted to have a good rest.

B．He had promised to spare more time to stay with his son.

C．He had missed his son and his family for days.

D．He came to realize the importance of the time with his family.

小題4:Which of the following is the most suitable title for this passage?

A．The Good Old Times	B．What He Valued Most
C．My lost friend	D．The Lost Childhood Days

She was born to wealth and power in an era when money and politics were left to the men. Later, as The Washington Post’s publisher, Katharine Graham became one of America’s most powerful women.
Despite a privileged background, Katharine had to deal, while growing up, with the high demands her mother placed on her children. Katharine’s love of journalism, which she shared with her father, led to her career after college at The Washington Post, the newspaper her father bought in 1933. At the Post, Katharine met Phil Graham, a young, charming lawyer who became her husband. When, in 1945, Katharine’s father chose Phil over her to take over his struggling paper, Katharine didn’t object and stayed at home as a wife and mother of four.
While Phil’s successful efforts to restore the Post to prominence (顯著) made the Grahams popular members of the Washington social scene, Katharine privately suffered tremendous pain from her husband’s increasingly abusive behavior and wild mood swings caused by severe depression. When Phil committed suicide (自殺), the 46-year-old Katharine found herself thrown into a new job, that of newspaper publisher. But determined to save the family paper for her children, Katharine rose to the challenge of running the Post, attending meetings in every department, working endlessly to prove herself to her critics, and becoming the toast of Washington.
In 1971, Katharine ordered the Post to print a copy of the Pentagon Papers, the top-secret documents disclosing the truth about the United States’ involvement in the Vietnam War. What’s more, her courageous decision and support for her journalists prepared the Post to break the most important political story in modern history: Watergate, one of the greatest scandals (丑聞) in American political history. Katharine managed to keep control over the most chaotic (disorder) of situations when it was reported, all the time insisting the news stories be accurate and fair. Watergate made the Washington Post an internationally known Paper and Katharine was considered as the most powerful woman in America.
小題1:
Katharine Graham was born in a time when women were not ________.

A．given the chance to receive education	B．considered as intelligent as men
C．permitted to achieve their goals	D．a(chǎn)llowed to enter every field

小題2:
When her husband was chosen to take charge of the newspaper, Katharine Graham ________.

A．was strongly against the idea

B．was not happy to be rejected

C．was willing to take her share of responsibility

D．didn’t believe her husband would do a good job

小題3:
Which of the following statements is true?

A．It was Katharine Graham’s husband who made the greatest contributions to the Post.

B．When Katharine Graham first took over the Post, her critics doubted her ability.

C．Katharine Graham was successful in her career but suffered severe depression.

D．Katharine Graham was free to do whatever she liked in her early life.

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

A．Ups and downs of The Washington Post.

B．Katharine Graham’s family life and career.

C．Katharine Graham: from housewife to successful publisher.

D．Katharine Graham: a woman who shaped American journalism.