The men dressed as police officers stole about $200 million worth of art from the Isabella Stewart
Gardner Museum early this morning.
     The two burglars (竊賊) knocked on a side door of the museum at about 1:15 am. They told the two
security guards who were on duty that there was a disturbance in the area. The guards then made the very
serious mistake of allowing the two men to go into the building. After they went in, the two burglars tied
the guards up with tape.
     The two men spent about two hours in the museum. During that time, they stole 11 paintings and an
ancient Chinese vase. The stolen works included three paintings by Rembrandt.
     A maintenance (保衛(wèi)) worker discovered the two guards at about 7 am and called police. One of the
greatest losses was Rembrandt's works, "The Storm on the Sea of Galilee." It was a very popular attraction
at the museum and was one of the most valuable works stolen.
     Museum officials said that the value of the stolen art is at least 200 million dollars, and may in fact be
much more. The true value of the paintings is unknown, because they have not been on the market for
nearly a century. According to law enforcement officials, this is considered to be the biggest theft ever in
the United States. Officials are waiting to see whether the burglars will demand a ransom for the paintings
or try to sell them to a private collector.
     Museum officials and police are not sure why the burglars chose certain works and not others. There
are other paintings in the museum that are even more valuable than the ones that were stolen.
      Special investigators are looking into the theft and the museum's security system. They believe that
this is a "professional job", because the people involved were well prepared and knew what they wanted.
Investigators have already questioned the museum's guards extensively. They would not give the names
or ages of the guards, but one investigator said the Gardner hires and trains its own security staff. So far,
the guards have not been identified as suspects in the case. An investigator said that anybody having any
information about the robbery should contact the Boston Police Department immediately.

1. We can infer from the passage that _____.

A. the security guards didn't identify the false policemen
B. the police had accurate ideas of the robbery after investigating
C. the burglars didn't dare to sell the stolen things on the market
D. the security guards helped the thieves secretly

2. According to the passage, "The Storm on the Sea of Galilee" was the following except that _____.

A. it was Rembrandt's works
B. it was the most valuable work at the museum
C. it was very attractive to visitors
D. it was one of the greatest losses

3. Which of the following best explains"demand a ransom for the paintings"?

A. Hide the paintings in a secret place.
B. Send the paintings to some foreign countries.
C. Ask for money to give the paintings back.
D. Change them into more valuable things.

4. The investigators believe that this is a"professional job" because the burglars _____.

A. didn't steal the most valuable works
B. made careful plans about the theft
C. tied the guards up with tape
D. were dressed as police officers

5. According to the passage, ______.

A. the art works stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum are valueless.
B. it is illegal for the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum to train its own guards.
C. the security guards on duty that day are suspected.
D. the works stolen haven't been traded for about 100 years.

     We thought we had it all-a beautiful house, three healthy children and one more on the way, two cars,
a couple of four-wheelers for entertainment-and we loved it. Then, the market turned and my husband's
job at a construction company was gone. The company was closing down for good.
     We both started looking for jobs right away, but there weren't any to be found. With each passing day
we were getting increasingly worried and we continued to work together in order to pull our family through.
The more we pulled together, the closer we got. I felt feelings of admiration for my husband that I hadn't felt
in years.
     That's why it was so hard for me to watch him blame himself for our present situation. I continually asked
him to stop, but he seemed to want to punish himself for not having a job.
     Finally, one afternoon I pulled him aside and said,"We have four healthy children and each other. That's
what's important. That makes you a rich man." "But what if we lose the house? They'll hate me-you'll hate
me," he replied.
      I smiled at him and put my hands on both sides of his face to make him look me in the eye.
     "No matter where we live I will be happy -as long as I have you." I smiled again. In all the struggling
together I had found that deep love for him that I had on the day we said"I do".
     I could see his shoulders and neck relaxed. He held me close and we were able to talk and plan and dream
together in a way that we hadn't for quite some time. It was a turning point for us as a couple and a family.
     We are still struggling for our better life, but I consider us well-off because we have something that money
can't buy and no one can take away from us.

1. The underlined sentence in the second paragraph means that _____.

A. they became closer as they struggled together
B. they hoped to find jobs in the same company
C. neither of them had the courage to face difficulty
D. they were trying to make their relationship closer

2. We can learn from the passage that _____.

A. they both found good jobs at last
B. both of them were worried about joblessness
C. her husband was to blame for the unemployment
D. they didn't love each other when they got married

3. Which of the following can best describe their present life?

A. Bitter but easy.
B. Comfortable and happy.
C. Hard but warm.
D. Well-off and relaxing.

4. The best title of the passage might be _____.

A. We Have It All
B. We Find It Again
C. A Perfect Couple
D. A Hard Time

     One Sunday morning in June 1959 my mother walked into my room. "Surprise!" she said, proudly holding
up a yellow dress ."I made it just for you. What do you think?"
     I bit my tongue. How could I tell Mom it was the ugliest dress I had ever seen?
     "It's perfect for church," my mother continued delightedly. "I wish someone had made a dress like this for
me."
     Too bad you can't wear it, I thought. But I knew Mom had spent a lot of time on the dress. No one should
refuse.
     Unwillingly I put it on.
     All through church I prayed (祈禱), Lord, let me get out of here without anyone seeing me. Especially
Dennis Pearce, the boy I had a crush on, one of the coolest boys at Neptune High School. Although we were
in some of the same classes, Dennis had never taken any notice of me. Every time I got near him, I became
tongue-tied. |
     At the end of the service I rushed for the door. But I had to wait on the steps while my parents chatted with
their friends. Just a little while longer…Then out of the corner of my eye I saw the Pearces coming near. Before I could escape, Dennis was right beside me.
     I started talking, hoping if I kept it up he wouldn't notice my ugly dress."I'm going to college in September,"
I said.
     "That's great," Dennis replied "I got accepted to police academy (學(xué)院)."
     "Wow!" I said. Somehow I kept the conversation going. The next thing I knew Dennis had asked me out on a date!
     We courted (戀愛) through college, and eventually got married. Months after our wedding I asked Dennis if he remembered the day he had first asked me out.
      "Certainly I do," he said."You were always quiet in school. I didn't think you'd be much fun. But you were
so lovely when we talked on the church steps, I wanted to get to know you better." Maybe that yellow dress
wasn't what I would have chosen, but that day it was the perfect dress for me.

1. Why did she accept such a dress?

A. She was fond of its new pattern.
B. Her Mom just brought it for her.
C. It was proper to go to church in it.
D. She understood her Mom's love.

2. The author tried to carry the dialogue on, hoping _____.

A. she would catch other boys' attention
B. Dennis would get her out for a date
C. Dennis wouldn't take notice of her dress
D. she could be noticed by Dennis's parents

3. The underlined part "had a crush on'' in Paragraph 6 probably means:"_____ ".

A. loved deeply
B. met by chance
C. looked down on
D. worried about

4. What would be the best title for the text?

A. An Ugly Dress
B. A Perfect Dress
C. A Dress for the Church
D. A Dress for the Date

      How would you like an easy way to earn $2,500? All you have to do is to sit around and wait for your
meals. There's a catch, however. You have to stay in a chicken cage with a stranger for a whole week.
There are no books or television or radio for amusement. You can't leave until the week is up. And a camera
will be recording your every move.
     Two people actually took the job. The idea came from Rob Thompson, a video artist. He wanted to make
a film about the way animals are treated. His goal was to raise people's awareness of the living conditions of
animals that are raised for food. He decided to pay $5,000 out of his own savings to two people who were
willing to live like chickens for a week. 
     To Rob's surprise, quite a few people answered his advertisement. He had interviews and selected Eric,
a 24-year-old restaurant worker, and Pam, a 27-year-old chemist. The plan was for them to spend seven days
together in a chicken cage that was six feet long and three feet wide. A camera would record their experience,
which would take place in an art museum. 
     The week was long and difficult. They slept on a hard wooden floor. They couldn't stand up without
banging their heads. They ate vegetables and drink water from a garden hose-pipe (橡膠軟管). Their only
privacy was a toilet surrounded by a curtain. There were no sinks, mirrors, or toothbrushes in the cage. Their
only inspiration was the two framed checks that hung on the wall outside the cage. Visitors who came here
were warned, "Do not feed the humans."
      Finally it was over, and Pam and Eric came out of the cage. They had survived the week, and they each
had a $2,500 check in their hands. When Rob Thompson opened the cage, Eric came out, changed into clean
clothes, and ate a chocolate bar right away. "It's great for me to be able to stand up." he said. Pam just
changed her clothes and left. After a week of visitors and reporters watching her, she didn't want to talk to
anyone.

1. What kind of person is Rob Thompson?

A. He is curious about people's personal life
B. He is kind-hearted to animals
C. He dislike people around
D. He likes to help poor people

2. The underlined word "catch" (in Paragraph 1) probably means ______.

A. unsolved problem
B. surprising wonder
C. unbelievable condition
D. hidden difficulty

3. What made it the most difficult for the two to stay in the cage?

A. That they had nothing for amusement.
B. That they couldn't lie down to sleep in the cage.
C. That they had to do almost everything under others' very eyes.
D. That they didn't have meat to eat.

4. What would be the best title for this passage?

A. An Easy Way to Earn $2,500
B. Do Not Feed Humans
C. Living Like a Chicken
D. Getting Along Well Anyway