It was lunchtime and I walked into a small branch bank on the West Side. I had come to   1  a checking account. The only officer on   2  was a fortyish black man, standing   3  a small counter from a young white boy who was wearing a V-necked sweater. I thought I was especially   4  of the boy because he looked more like from a prep school than a   5  in a West Side bank.
The boy continued to   6  my attention because of what happened next. He was holding an open savings-account book and   7  an expression of disappointment. “But I don’t understand. I opened the account myself, so why can’t I   8  any money?” the boy said, his voice breaking.
“I know it is, but those are the rules. I’ve already explained to you that a fourteen-year-old is not   9  to withdraw money without a letter from his parents,” the officer explained patiently.
Suddenly I noticed the   10  had a series of small deposits (存款) and withdraws. Then I questioned the officer, “How do you   11  that? Why did you let him withdraw money before, but not now?” He looked   12 . “Because the tellers were not aware of his age before and now they are. It’s really very   13 .” I turned to the boy with a shrug. “You’re really getting   14 ,” I said. “You ought to get your parents to come here and protest.” The boy looked destroyed.   15 , he put his savings book in a rear-pocket and walked out of the bank.
The officer turned to me. “You know,” he said, “you really shouldn’t have got   16 .” I couldn’t believe what he was saying. “We were   17  this morning that some neighborhood bully has been shaking down (敲詐) this boy for more than a month. The guy was   18  him to take money out every week and hand it over. The poor kid was   19  too scared to tell anyone. Anyway, the police are on the case and they’ll probably make a(n)   20  today.”
“You mean there is no rule about being too young to withdraw money from a savings account?”
“Not that I ever heard of. Now, sir, what can we do for you?”

小題1:	A．make B．open C．buy D．choose

小題2:	A．duty B．board C．display D．business

小題3:	A．on B．a(chǎn)fter C．over D．a(chǎn)cross

小題4:	A．sure B．proud C．a(chǎn)ware D．a(chǎn)fraid

小題5:	A．guard B．customer C．clerk D．manager

小題6:	A．a(chǎn)ttract B．pay C．a(chǎn)ttach D．control

小題7:	A．a(chǎn)chieving B．finding C．reaching D．wearing

小題8:	A．use B．spend C．withdraw D．bank

小題9:	A．supported B．inspired C．encouraged D．a(chǎn)llowed

小題10:

A．letter B．a(chǎn)ccount C．note D．message

小題11:

A．think B．explain C．do D．claim

小題12:

A．a(chǎn)nnoyed B．disappointed C．confused D．a(chǎn)mused

小題13:

A．difficult B．strange C．fantastic D．simple

小題14:

A．obeyed B．stolen C．cheated D．caught

小題15:

A．Happily B．Silently C．Cheerfully D．Nervously

小題16:

A．interacted B．interrupted C．involved D．infected

小題17:

A．occupied B．discovered C．suggested D．informed

小題18:

A．rushing B．forcing C．requesting D．begging

小題19:

A．hardly B．unwillingly C．a(chǎn)pparently D．eagerly

小題20:

A．a(chǎn)rrest B．sentence C．a(chǎn)pology D．difference

My teenage son Karl became withdraw after his father died. As a single parent, I tried to do my best to talk to him. But the more I tried, the more he pulled away. When his report card arrived during his junior year, it said that he had been absent 95 times from classes and had six falling grades for the year. At this rate he would never graduate. I sent him to the school adviser, and I even begged him. Nothing worked.
One night I felt so powerless that I got down on my knees and pleaded for help. “Please God, I can’t do anything more for my son. I’m at the end of my rope. I’m giving the whole thing up to you.”
I was at work when I got a phone call. A man introduced himself as the headmaster. “I want to talk to you about Karl’s absences.” Before he could say another word, I choked up and all my disappointment and sadness over Karl came pouring out into the ears of this stranger. “I love my son but I just don’t know what to do. I’ve tried everything to get Karl to go back to school and nothing has worked. It’s out of my hands.” For a moment there was silence on the other end of the line. The headmaster seriously said, “thank you for your time”, and hung up.
Karl’s next report card showed a marked improvement in his grades. Finally, he even made the honor roll. In his fourth year, I attended a parent-teacher meeting with Karl. I noticed that his teachers were astonished at the way he had turned himself around. On our way home, he said, “Mum, remember that call from the headmaster last year?” I nodded. “That was I. I thought I’d play a joke but when I heard what you said, it really hit me how much I was hurting you. That’s when I knew I had to make you proud.”
小題1:By saying “Karl became withdrawn”, the author means that the boy changed entirely and _____.

A．preferred to stay alone at home	B．often escaped school
C．refused to talk to others	D．began to dislike his mother

小題2:There was silence on the other end of the line because _____.

A．the speaker was too moved to say anything to the mother

B．the speaker waited for the mother to finish speaking

C．the speaker didn’t want the mother to recognize his voice

D．the speaker was unable to interrupt the mother

小題3:What is the main idea of this passage?

A．Children in single-parent families often have mental problems.

B．Mother’s love plays an important role in teenagers’ life.

C．Being understood by parents is very important to teenagers.

D．School education doesn’t work without full support from parents.

Once you’ve tasted the joy and freedom of an all-access backstage pass, sitting in the balcony（樓廳） far from the stage has little attraction. In March of 2008, I had the opportunity to tour with a band. The experience was eye-opening.
I hadn’t realized how many misconceptions I had about the lifestyle of a world-class musician. Such a life is not as great as it appears. In fact, some aspects are extremely tedious. Hours and hours are spent waiting. The musicians wait for their transportation; they wait for the sound check; they wait to perform. After the show, they wait for the crowds of fans to go away.
When the musicians are not waiting, they are traveling. Sometimes the travel itself can seem attractive and exciting, with the limousines（豪華轎車） and the first-class seats on the plane. However, even these luxuries cannot make up for long, boring hours on the road or in the air. Basic needs are all but ignored. Late-night shows and early wake-up calls make them know the preciousness of sleep. The demanding travel itineraries（行程） and show schedules make regular meals impossible.
In spite of the sacrifices, life on tour has its advantage, at least for the talent. A support team generally travels with the band, with at least one person dedicated to meeting the musicians’ needs at all times. The musicians are expected to perform at the shows, but they are not expected to manage any detail of their lives. When I was with the band, I poured glasses of grapefruit juice, made sandwiches, prepared dressing rooms, and performed all kinds of routine work, such as buying toothpaste and getting money from the ATM. In addition, efforts are made by promoters to keep the musicians happy. Most places offer private dressing rooms for the musicians. There is also usually a green room, a room that is large with comfortable furnishings where the band can visit with friends and family while waiting to go on stage. Before the band goes on, their families and friends file out into the auditorium and find their seats. The house lights go dark and curtain rises. When the lights flash on and the band starts playing, the scene is magical. A behind-the-scenes view makes the experience even more spectacular.
小題1:The underlined world in paragraph 2 probably means _____.

A．exciting

B．boring

C．reasonable

D．ridiculous

小題2:We can infer from the third paragraph that _____.

A．good arrangements always make the trips comfortable and pleasant

B．most musicians would rather travel long distance than wait

C．most musicians ignore their basic needs because the travel is too luxurious

D．the lack of sleep and irregular meals seem to be a part of the life of musicians

小題3:Which might be the best title for the passage?

A．Behind the Scene.	B．Hard Life of Musicians.
C．My Part-time Job.	D．How to Make Musicians Happy.

Most people who live in Seattle, Washington, love their city. There is a never-ending flow of fun things to do. But, people who live there do not always enjoy the day-after-day absence of sunshine during the winter months.
It is documented fact that sunshine (or lack of it) plays a major role in how each of us meets the day. It also affects how we perform at school or work. When people are derived of sunlight, they can develop seasonal affective disorder, which makes it difficult for them to feel happy or get things accomplished. No major city in the United States is more affected by the “sunshine factor” than Seattle.
To fight drizzle and fog during the winter months, Steve Murphy created a business that is very popular among the locals. The Indoor Sun Shoppe is more than a little ray of sunshine during the gray days of Seattle’s winter. His shop offers a huge source of plants and artificial lighting for people who are trying to overcome seasonal affective disorder.
Located in Fremont, Washington, The Indoor Sun Shoppe has an amazing collection of exotic plants and “good bugs” in a humid and well-lit environment. At The Indoor Sun Shoppe, you can spend up to $400 for artificial lighting that will chase away the winter blues. It will also keep your plants healthy. You can buy a dawn simulator that will gradually fill your room with a warming wake-up glow. What better way to meet a Seattle morning when real sunshine is nothing more than a happy thought!
Murphy’s in-home waterfalls are also popular with customers. But his plants and lights remain the “main course.” On a cloudy winter day, The Indoor Sun Shoppe is a bright spot in Seattle!
小題1:Which of the following statements is NOT TRUE according to the passage?

A．Seattle is located in the state of Washington.

B．Citizens love Seattle for their colorful city lives.

C．Sunshine in Seattle is rare during the winter months.

D．People who live in Seattle are used to the sunshine absence.

小題2:Which of the following best defines the term seasonal affective disorder in Para.2?

A．mild temperature and a general feeling of illness caused by gray winter

B．exhaustion, depression and lack of energy caused by a lack of sunlight

C．winter-related illness caused by the low temperature and little sunlight

D．post-holiday depression that comes when relatives leave after Christmas

小題3:The Indoor Sun Shoppe _____.

A．a(chǎn)ttracts people from different parts of the whole country

B．a(chǎn)ims to create a humid and well-lit environment during winter months

C．brings only a little ray of sunshine during the gray days of Seattle’s winter

D．offers variety of goods helping people overcome seasonal affective disorder

小題4:Which of the following best explains the use of a dawn simulator?

A．An alarm clock stimulated by the light rays of early morning.

B．A bringer of indoor artificial sunshine when there is none outside.

C．An automatic waterfall system helping make indoor plants healthy.

D．A better way to meet a Seattle morning with real warming sunshine.

From the time each of my children started school, I packed their lunches. And in each lunch, I  11  a note. Often written on a napkin (餐巾), it might be a thank-you for a  12  moment, a reminder of something we were happily expecting, or a bit of     13  for the coming test or sporting event.
In early grade school they  14  their notes. But as children grow older they becomes self-conscious(有自我意識(shí)的), and 15  he reached high school, my older son, Marc, informed me he no longer  16  my daily notes. Telling him that he no longer needed to  17  them but I still needed to write them, I  18  until the day he graduated.
Six years after high school graduation, Marc called and asked if he could move  19  for a couple of months. He had spent those years well, graduating from college,   20  two internship (實(shí)習(xí)) in Washington, D.C., and   21  , becoming a technical assistant in Sacramento,  22  short vacation visits, however, he had lived away from home. With his younger sister leaving for college, I was   23   happy to have Marc back. Since I was  24  making lunch for his younger brother, I    25  one for Marc, too. Imagine my   26  when I got a call from my 24-year-old son,   27  his lunch.
“Did I do something   28 ? Don’t you love me  29  ,Mom?” were just a few of the questions he threw at me as I 30  asked him what was wrong. “My note, Mom,” he answered. “Where’s my note?”

小題1:	A．carried B．found C．included D．held

小題2:	A．difficult B．special C．comfortable D．separate

小題3:	A．congratulation B．improvement C．explanation D．encouragement

小題4:	A．loved B．a(chǎn)nswered C．wrote D．examined

小題5:	A．lately B．by the way C．by the time D．gradually

小題6:	A．received B．understood C．enjoyed D．collected

小題7:	A．copy B．read C．take D．send

小題8:	A．held up B．gave up C．followed D．continued

小題9:	A．out B．home C．to college D．to Sacramento

小題10:

A．organizing B．planning C．comparing D．completing

小題11:

A．hopefully B．finally C．particularly D．certainly

小題12:

A．Because of B．Instead of C．Except for D．As for

小題13:

A．especially B．immediately C．equally D．generally

小題14:

A．once B．a(chǎn)gain C．still D．even

小題15:

A．packed B．fetched C．bought D．filled

小題16:

A．fear B．surprise C．a(chǎn)nger D．disappointment

小題17:

A．waiting for B．worrying about C．caring for D．a(chǎn)sking about

小題18:

A．wrong B．funny C．strange D．smart

小題19:

A．a(chǎn)ny more B．enough C．once more D．better

小題20:

A．interestingly B．bitterly C．politely D．laughingly

It happened towards evening, when I was resting in a cafe. I   36 a pair of newly bought white leather shoes, which were rather expensive. Then  37 came to me.
He was in an unfit shirt,  38 pale and weak. He looked about eleven or twelve. No sooner39  begun to speak than he opened the box in his hand and took out the tools of shoe-polishing. He bent down, 40 my leather shoes, and began to shine them.
He was concentrating on his job when heavy rain began to pour 41 . People rushed into the cafe for protection from the  42 . More and more people crowded in and gradually 43  the boy from me.
Hours passed, and 44 turned dark. I had no shoes on my feet and wondered 45  the boy had been. I thought he would not  46  my leather shoes, and I would have to walk back home on  47  in the night.
When it was near midnight the rain  48 , people started to go out. The cafe  49 
Closed. I had to move to the door, I was surprised to see the boy sleeping on the floor with his head leaning  50  a box. He held a package made of his shirt tightly in his arms.
I  51  him slightly and woke him up. He jumped up and rubbed his eyes for a while before he 52 me. Then he opened the   53  hurriedly, gave me my leather shoes, and apologized to me shyly.
I paid him and wrapped around him his unfit shirt, which  54 my leather shoes.
After saying goodbye to the boy, I was  55 home, with the image of the boy staying in my mind.

小題1:	A．put on B．dressed C．wore D．wore out

小題2:	A．a(chǎn) boy B．a(chǎn) woman C．a(chǎn) girl D．a(chǎn)n old man

小題3:	A．looked B．look C．to look D．looking

小題4:	A．had I B．I had C．I did D．did I

小題5:	A．taking up B．took off C．taking off D．took on

小題6:	A．in B．down C．on D．up

小題7:	A．wind B．snow C．rain D．fire

小題8:	A．separated B．connected C．joined D．divided

小題9:	A．this B．that C．it D．what

小題10:

A．there B．where C．how D．what

小題11:

A．polish B．clean C．turn D．return

小題12:

A．feet B．my foot C．my bare feet D．my own foot

小題13:

A．started B．began C．ended D．came

小題14:

A．was B．was to be C．had been D．has been

小題15:

A．a(chǎn)gainst B．with C．under D．over

小題16:

A．cover B．shook C．grasped D．caught

小題17:

A．thanked B．made out C．recognized D．passed

小題18:

A．wallet B．a(chǎn)rms C．shoes D．package

小題19:

A．was wrapping B．was wrapped C．had wrapped D．wrapped

小題20:

A．on the way to B．on a way C．on my way D．in my way

Bill Gates was born on October 28th, 1955. He and his two sisters grew up in Seattle. Their father, William H. Gates II, was a Seattle lawyer. Mary Gates, their late mother, was a school teacher.
Gates attended public elementary school before moving on to the private Lakeside School in North Seattle. It was at Lakeside that Gates began his career in personal computer soft  ware, programming computers at age 13.
In 1973, Gates entered Harvard University as a freshman, where he lived down the hall from Steve Ballmer, who is now Microsoft's president. While at Harvard, Gates developed a version (版本) of the programming language BASIC for the first microcomputer---the MITS Astair. In his junior year, Gates dropped out of Harvard to devote his energies full-time to Microsoft, a company he had started in 1975 with his boyhood friend Paul Allen. Guided by a belief that the personal computer would be a valuable tool on every office desk-top and in every home, they began developing software for personal computers.
Gates' foresight has led to the success of Microsoft and the software industry. He plays an important role in the technical development of new products. Much of his time is devoted to meeting with customers and staying in touch with Microsoft employees around the world through e-mail.
In the dozen years since Microsoft went public, Gates has donated more than $ 800 million to charities, including $ 200 million to the Gates Library Foundation to help libraries in North America make use of new technologies and the Information Age.
小題1:Where did Bill Gates begin his career in personal computer software?

A．At public elementary school.	B．At the private Lakeside School.
C．At Harvard University.	D．At Microsoft Company.

小題2:Why did he drop out of Harvard?

A．To change school.	B．To spend all his energies to Microsoft.
C．To find a full-time job.	D．To earn money.

小題3:How does Gates spend much of his time?

A．Meeting with people.

B．Travelling around the world.

C．E-mailing some friends.

D．Meeting with customers and e-mailing Microsoft employees.

小題4:What does the underlined word “donated” in the last paragraph mean?

A．gave.

B．earned.

C．made.

D．received.

For years I wanted a flower garden．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 now．”
Finally, all five got through high school and college and were off on their own．
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 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, taped all over that 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, ornaments , a trellis（格架）, a sunflower stepping stone and gardening books．
That was three years ago．My garden's now very pretty, just like I wanted．When I go out and tend my flowers, I don't seem to miss my children as much as I once did．I feel like they're right there with me．
I'm still not sure that money grows on trees．But I know love does!
小題1:Why did the mother say "Money doesn't grow on trees"?       .

A．She wanted them not to spend extra money

B．She was too sad to say anything else

C．She told them a truth on money

D．she just played a joke with them

小題2:What do we know about the mother according to the text?       ．

A．She is a bad-tempered woman

B．She believes money can grow on a tree now

C．She is a writer

D．She is hard-working in housekeeping

小題3:What can be inferred from the text?      ．

A．The author raised five children

B．The money tree was a Mother Day's gift

C．It cost Marvin eight hours to dug up the bed

D．Children planted a weeping willow in the yard

小題4:Which of the following would be the best title for the text?  ___    ．

A．My Money Tree	B．The Garden of My Children
C．Mother's Love	D．Marvin's Promise

On the border, a pack of wild dogs circled the soldiers for food． The leader of the pack was a gray- and-white dog called Nubs． He was   11  and hardly able to stand． Marine major Brian Dennis looked   12  and saw that there was a knife wound in his chest．
Dennis couldn't stand seeing the dog   13_．He and his men immediately treated the wound, and  gave Nubs medicine．Nubs pulled through but was still in   14 ．The next day, the team had to  15  . Ten days later, Dennis' unit was back, and so was Nubs． He was still   16 ，but the men fed him and  played with him．
Before long the unit once again left for the front 70 miles away． Nubs, slowly but 17  , followed them far into the trackless wasteland _ 18  the men lost sight of him．Two days later, beyond Dennis'   19  , he saw Nubs just outside the outpost（前哨）．The dog had  20  him across 70 miles of frozen desert to meet with the friend who had   21 his life．From then on Nubs and the men   22 in the same place, and ran around in the same ruins（廢墟）．                          
Until an order came that they were not   23_ to have pets, Dennis decided to make sure the dog would  24 _ to live the good life．So he quickly raised $4,000 from his family and friends to 25 Nubs to America．
A year later, when Dennis and the dog were   26  in California, at first Nubs didn't   27  the guy．But within minutes, the dog jumped into Dennis' arms, jumping   28   again and again to lick his friend's face．
A little love and concern in the middle of   29 will not save a violent world． But small stories, like the story of a soldier and a clog, hold a  30  of a harmonious（和諧的）world．

小題1:	A．shaking B．waiting C．barking D．resting

小題2:	A．lower B．better C．clearer D．closer

小題3:	A．worry B．suffer C．fear D．starve

小題4:	A．surprise B．control C．pain D．a(chǎn)nger

小題5:	A．leave B．drill C．fight D．walk

小題6:	A．dirty B．weak C．thin D．tired

小題7:	A．suddenly B．happily C．easily D．determinedly

小題8:	A．unless B．since C．until D．a(chǎn)fter

小題9:	A．imagination B．reach C．sight D．a(chǎn)bility

小題10:

A．caught B．tracked C．guarded D．found

小題11:

A．loved B．started C．saved D．taken

小題12:

A．traveled B．met C．grew D．slept

小題13:

A．a(chǎn)llowed B．expected C．needed D．required

小題14:

A．go B．like C．try D．continue

小題15:

A．lead B．fly C．drive D．show

小題16:

A．reunited B．interviewed C．watched D．gathered

小題17:

A．notice B．believe C．recognize D．bother

小題18:

A．out B．a(chǎn)bout C．a(chǎn)round D．up

小題19:

A．time B．danger C．war D．space

小題20:

A．way B．view C．concern D．promise

The house was quiet at 5 am and Tim’s mother was asleep. Only the sound of the big freezer broke the quiet. He’d dreamt of the cave last night. The purring（輕微顫動(dòng)聲）of the freezer had been the sea.                                         
Tim pulled on a sweater and put some apples into his schoolbag. It was too early for breakfast. He’d eat after he’d been through the cave, sitting on the rocks and staring at the sea.
He wished he had a proper pack. His schoolbag would have to do. What else? Sandwiches—but his mother might wake up if he started pulling out bread for sandwiches. She’d want to know why he had to leave so early. He settled for some biscuits, and left a note stuck to the table:
Gone to Michael’s. Back tonight, Tim.
The sky was high and soft and light outside, though the sun still wasn’t up. Even the highway up the hill was quiet as he made his way down the street. The wind from the sea was fresh and sweet.
The sand hills still breathed heat from yesterday’s sun, though the top of the sand was cool. He ran down to the beach impatiently, but there was no one, just dry sand dancing in the early wind and seabirds marching up and down watching the waves.
The light changed suddenly. The first rays of sunlight stretched (延伸) across the sea. The sun was pushing its way over the edge of the world.
Over the first rocks, along to the point, Tim glanced back. The beach was still empty. The sun sailed higher in the sky.
He could see the cave now, even darker in the morning light. The sand turned silver then dark gold as the water flowed away from it. He had to force himself to go closer. Why was it so much more mysterious now? But it would be silly to go back now after so much trouble. He needn’t go in all the way...
小題1:What did Tim do at the beginning of the story?

A．He left the house quietly.	B．He had breakfast at home.
C．He left a note on the freezer.	D．He put a sweater in his schoolbag.

小題2:“He settled for some biscuits” means that Tim_______.

A．had to leave the biscuits on the table

B．liked biscuits better than sandwiches

C．had to take biscuits instead of sandwiches

D．could only find some biscuits in the kitchen

小題3:What made it possible for Tim to see the entry to the cave?

A．The height of the first rocks.	B．The ups and downs of the waves.
C．The change in the position of the sun.	D．The vast stretch of the sunlit beach.

小題4:Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the story?

A．The sea looked like a piece of gold.

B．Seabirds flew away when Tim arrived.

C．Tim was the only person on the beach.

D．The sky got dark as Tim reached the cave.

小題5:In the story, Tim’s mood changed from_______.

A．loneliness to craziness	B．a(chǎn)nxiousness to excitement
C．helplessness to happiness	D．eagerness to nervousness