Twenty years ago, I drove a taxi for a living. One night I went to pick up a passenger at 2:30 AM. When I arrived to collect, I found the building was dark except for a single light in a ground floor window.

I walked to the door and knocked. “Just a minute.” answered a weak, elderly voice. After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her eighties stood before me. By her side was a small suitcase. I took the suitcase to the car, and then returned to help the woman. She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the car. She kept thanking me for my kindness. “It’s nothing,” I told her. “I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother treated.”

“Oh, you’re such a good man,” she said. When we got into the taxi, she gave me an address, and then asked, “Could you drive through downtown?”

“It’s not the shortest way.” I answered quickly.

“Oh, I’m in no hurry.” she said. “I’m on my way to a hospice（臨終醫(yī)院）. I don’t have any family left. The doctor says I don’t have very long.”

I quietly reached over and shut off the meter（計(jì)價(jià)器）. For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked, the neighborhood where she had lived, and the furniture shop that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl. Sometimes she’d ask me to slow down in front of a particular building and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing. At dawn, she suddenly said, “I’m tired. Let’s go now.” We drove in silence to the address she had given me.

“How much do I owe you?” she asked.

“Nothing,” I said.

“You have to make a living.” she answered. “Oh, there are other passengers,” I answered.

Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. She held onto me tightly. Our hug ended with her remark. “You gave an old woman a little moment of joy.”

1. The old woman chose to ride through the city in order to .

A. show she was familiar with the city

B. see some places for the last time

C. let the driver earn more money

D. reach the destination on time

2.The taxi driver did not charge the old woman because he .

A. wanted to do her a favor

B. shut off the meter by mistake

C. had received her payment in advance

D. was in a hurry to take other passengers

3. What can we learn from the story?

A. Giving is always a pleasure.

B. People should respect each other.

C. An act of kindness can bring people great joy.

D. People should learn to appreciate others’ concern.

In a book called Magnificent Obsession, by Lloyd C. Douglas, a description is given of people helping others but doing it secretly. When difficult problems worried an individual(個(gè)人), friends nearby would meet to discuss possible solution(解決方案) without the individual knowing their actions. When a solution was agreed upon, one or two of the friends would carry out the plan and solve the problem secretly, to the great delight of the worried individual. The helpers would stand by privately(私下地), content with their success. No reward was given to the problem solvers, not even a sincere “thank you”, because they were never known.

This concept is popular today but in a different way. The phrase “pay it forward” is now used when one person helps another. However, the person helped may not be able to repay the person or group that helped them. So rather than return the favor to their helpers, they are supposed to help someone else in the future, which means they pay it forward. It is a sense of responsibility which makes us want to give back in equal measure to the one who has helped us. But, in this case, the responsibility turns to helping someone in the future.

Suppose your elderly grandmother pays part of your schooling. She may tell you there is no need to repay her because it is a gift from someone who loves you very much. Nothing would please her more than to have you use her money to get a good education.

You may never be able to repay her for such a gift. However, she not only gave you some money, but she provided you with an example that you should also help other people who need it.

People with serious needs are everywhere. Many are children who need better clothes, more books and even better schools. Some are elderly people who can’t afford their medicine or a doctor’s care. Consider how you can “pay it forward” rather than pay money back to your grandmother.

1. The helpers in the book “Magnificent Obsession” were not rewarded because ______.

A. they hadn’t solved the problems thoroughly (徹底地)

B. they had solved the problems secretly

C. they were friends of the worried individual

D. they expected to be paid back in the future

2.The underlined word “pay it forward” means _______.

A. to repay someone who has helped you

B. to pay someone else who needs help

C. to help someone who has helped you

D. to help someone else who needs help

3.What does the writer suggest with the example of “your elderly grandmother”?

A. We should learn to respect our grandparents.

B. We should work hard to get a good education.

C. We should also lend a hand to other people in need of help.

D. We should never forget to repay people for their help.

4. From the passage we know_______.

A. everybody needs help

B. more children need help than elderly people

C. it costs a lot of money to “pay it forward”

D. nowadays many people help others without being repaid

“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”

You probably heard those lines in grammar school, but do you really agree that harsh(嚴(yán)厲的) or negative words do not harm us? Words have power. Surely we all have had our feelings hurt by something someone said.

We may not say words to hurt others, but the way we interpret (解釋) them and how we say them may cause great harm. Here’s an example:

An ancient king dreamed all his teeth had fallen out. He sent for a wise man to explain his dream to him: the dream means that all your relatives will die and you will be left alone! The king was very angry and threw the interpreter into prison. He then sent for another interpreter who said, “Congratulations! King! You will live many more years. In fact, you will survive all your relatives. Long Live the King!”

Both interpreters gave the same interpretation, but there was a huge difference in the way they said it.

Our speech must be understood by those who hear our words, but the way we say things and the intention behind them have as much power as the words themselves. Words can cause anger or appreciation. Which would you rather receive?

People who say harsh and negative things may not mean to harm, but have you ever known anyone who is a naysayer? They often look at the dark sides of things. They always see the glass as half empty rather than half full. How do you feel when you are around this type of person? Remember: words have power. Use them wisely.

1.The author mentions the story of the ancient king to show that _____.

A. one dream sometimes has different explanations

B. good words can bring good luck to people

C. people should be careful when talking to a king

D. different ways of saying things have different effects

2.The underlined word naysayer in the last paragraph refers to a person who always _____.

A. has a negative attitude

B. likes to be praised

C. talks big

D. likes to repeat what others say

3.According to the text, how can people understand each other better?

A. By sharing different life experiences

B. By accepting different habits.

C. By properly using words

D. By recognizing different values.

4.The passage mainly talks about ______.

A. the power of words

B. the cruelty of the king

C. how to understand others

D. how to build good relationships

Many animals recognize their food because they see it. So do humans. When you see an apple or a piece of chocolate you know that these are things you can eat. You can also use other senses when you choose your food. You may like it because it smells good or because it tastes good. You may dislike some types of food because they do not look, smell or taste very nice. Different animals use different senses to find and choose their food. A few animals depend on only one of their senses, while most animals use more than one sense.

Although there are many different types of food, some animals spend their lives eating only one type. The giant panda eats only one particular type of bamboo. Other animals eat only one type of food even when given the choice. A kind of white butterfly will stay on the leaves of a cabbage, even though there are plenty of other vegetables in the garden. However, most animals have a more varied diet. The bear eats fruits and fish. The fox eats small animals, birds and fruits. The diet of these animals will be different depending on the season.

Humans have a very varied diet. We often eat food because we like it and not because it is good for us. In countries such as France and Britain, people eat foods with too much sugar. This makes them overweight, which is bad for their health. Eating too much red meat and animal products, such as butter, can also be bad for the health. Choosing the right food, therefore, has become an area of study in modern life.

1.We can infer from the text that humans and animals _________.

A. depend on one sense in choosing food

B. are not satisfied with their food

C. choose food in similar ways

D. eat entirely different food

2.Which of the following eats only one type of food?

A. The white butterfly. B. The small bird.

C. The bear. D. The fox.

3. Certain animals change their choice of food when ___________.

A. the season changes

B. the food color changes

C. they move to different places

D. they are attracted by different smells

4. We can learn from the last paragraph that __________.

A. food is chosen for a good reason

B. French and British food is good

C. some people have few choices of food

D. some people care little about healthy diet

Life is just like a box. Inside it are happiness and sorrow, failure and success, hope and despair. Life is a learning process. Experiences in it teach us new lessons and make us a better person.

Love

Love plays a key role on our life. Love makes you feel wanted. Without love a person could become cruel and violent. In the early stage of our life, our parents are the ones who show us with unconditional love and care. They tell us what is right or wrong, good or bad. 1. . It is only after marriage and having kids that a person understands and becomes sensitive to the feelings of others. Kids make a person responsible and mature and help us to understand life better.

Happiness and Sorrow

Materialistic happiness is short-lived, but happiness achieved by bringing a smile on others gives a certain level of fulfillment. 2. . No mind is happy without peace. We realize the true worth of happiness when we are in sorrow. Sorrow is basically due to death of a loved one, failure and despair. But these things are temporary and pass away.

Failure and Success

3. . It helps us to touch the sky, teaches us to survive and shows us a specific way.

Hope and Despair

Hope is what keeps life going. Parents always hope their children will do well. Hope makes us dream. Hope builds in patience. 4. , because after every night there is a day. Nothing remains the same. We have only one choice—keep moving on in life and be hopeful.

Life teaches us not to regret over yesterday, for it has passed and is beyond our control. Tomorrow is unknown, for it could either be right or dull. 5. , so that we will enjoy a better tomorrow.

A. Life teaches us not to despair even in the darkest hour

B. So the only alternative is work hard today

C. But we always tend to take this for granted

D. Success lies in trusting yourself

E. So let’s enjoy every day

F. Failure is the path to success

G. Peace of mind is the main link to happiness

Last summer I went through a training program and became a volunteer teaching people how to read. When I what other people’s lives were like because they could not read, I began to realize the true of reading.

My first student Marie was a 44-year- old single mother of three children. In the first lesson, I found out she walked two miles to the nearest twice a week because she didn’t know which bus to take. When I told her I would get her a bus schedule. She told me it would not help because she could not read it. She said she also had once she got to the supermarket because she couldn’t always the things that she really needed. she did not know words, she could not write out a shopping list. Also, she could only items by sight.

We worked hard together, learning how to build Marie’s , which encouraged her to in her studies. She began to make rapid and was even able to take the bus to the supermarket. After this trip, she told me how self-confident she felt. the end of the program, she began her youngest son with his reading. She sat with him before he went to and read bedtime stories. When his eyes became with excitement as she read, was written all over her face. As she described this experience, I was proud of myself as . I found that helping Marie to build self-confidence was very rewarding.

I learned a great deal about and helping others and I may have learned more from the than Marie did.

1.A.forgetB. discoveredC. pickedD. supplied

2.A.importanceB. intelligenceC. possibilityD. responsibility

3.A.restaurantB. schoolC. supermarketD. station

4.A.difficultyB. moneyC. friendsD .pleasure

5.A.affordB. learnC. explainD. remember

6.A.IfB. SinceC. OnceD. Though

7.A.recognizeB. tasteC. touchD. sell

8.A.determinationB. confidenceC. conclusionD. consideration

9.A.stopB. forgetC. failD. continue

10.A.differenceB. mistakesC. progressD. noise

11.A.hopefulB. meaningfulC. carefulD. successful

12.A.AtB.InC. ForD. With

13.A.helpingB. expressingC. studyingD. learning

14.A.schoolB. workC. marketD. bed

15.A.newB. wideC. farD. sad

16.A.pressB. prideC. surpriseD. kindness

17.A.wellB.terribleC. goodD. bad

18.A.myB. herC. yourD. his

19.A.learningB. teachingC. readingD. communicating

20.A.experienceB. trainingC. planD. lesson

1.Although some may think the cinema is noisy, it is _________(適合) for Sally’s condition.

2.Wilberforce then _______(辭職) from government in 1825 and died in 1833.

3.Every time I returned after a/an _________(缺席), I felt stupid because I was behind the others.

4.The employees should be ___________(祝賀) for the part they have played in the success.

5.I hope my suggestions will meet with your __________(贊成).

6.As he was not allowed ___________(陪伴) her to the shops, he wrote out a list of items for her.

7.She cried out “Tony” and then heard him __________(聲明) that he didn’t want to leave her the next day.

8.She looked back on her career with great _____________(滿足).

9.Your plan is _________(一定的) to success.

10.It was when Asimov was eleven years old that his_______(天賦) for writing became obvious.

Indiana middle school and high school students can receive free help with their math and science homework, 1. ___is great news for parents, teachers, kids in grades six through twelve in the state of Indiana. The Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology has 2. _ homework hotline that makes 3. possible, and the homework hotline provides this 4. ___ (value) tutoring(輔導(dǎo)) service for free. Not only is homework help 5. __ (complete) free to Indianan middle school and high school kids, but the call is also free 6. charge.

Since 1991, the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology 7. ___(help) middle school and high school kids in the state of Indiana develop the skills they need 8. __(solve) math and science problems, and Rose-Hulman college students help in a way that makes kids think and solve problems without 9.____ (provide) the answers. This free tutoring program is a great benefit 10. ____middle school and high school students in Indiana.

下面短文中有10處語(yǔ)言錯(cuò)誤。請(qǐng)?jiān)谟绣e(cuò)誤的地方增加、刪除或修改某個(gè)單詞。

增加：在缺詞處加一個(gè)漏字符號(hào)（∧），并在其下面寫上該加的詞。刪除：把多余的詞用斜線（\）劃掉。修改：在錯(cuò)的詞下劃一橫線，并在該詞下面寫上修改后的詞。

注意：1. 每處錯(cuò)誤及其修改均僅限一詞。 2. 只允許修改10處，多者（從第11除起）不計(jì)分。

Every child must learn one of life’s most important rules from his parents. For examples, never go off with a stranger, even if that stranger offers him a nice big cookie, an ice cream and a promise to go swimming. Therefore, for Julia, this concept is a little difficult to accept, especially when a stranger offers her something she can’t refuse it. Once her mother tests her: “A strange man says, ‘Julia, let’s go to eat cookies. ’How will you say? ”“I like that!” Julia answered rapid. In order to teach the “stranger danger” lesson to her daughter, this mother try again and again to let her daughter understand it not safe. In this way, she thinks she’s giving her daughter the great gift of all, safety.

面對(duì)中學(xué)生“出國(guó)熱”，社會(huì)對(duì)此有不同的看法。請(qǐng)你以Studying Abroad為題，根據(jù)以下提供的信息，談?wù)勛约旱目捶ā?/p>

注意：1．第一句已為你寫好，不計(jì)入總詞數(shù)。

2．詞數(shù)100左右

3．參考詞匯：媒介，中間人mediator 民族 nation 費(fèi)用 expense

In recent years, studying abroad has been popular.

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