Each spring brings a new wildflower blooming in the fields along the highway I travel daily to work.

There is one particular blue flower that has always caught my eye. I've noticed that it blooms only in the morning hours. The afternoon sun is too warm for it. Every day each year for about two weeks, I see those beautiful flowers.
This spring, I started a wildflower garden in my yard. I can look out of the kitchen window while doing the dishes and see the flowers. I've often thought that those lovely blue flowers from the fields would look great in that bed alongside other wildflowers.
Every day I drove past the flowers, thinking, "I'll stop on my way home and dig them." "Gee, I don't want to get my good clothes dirty…" Whatever the reason, I never stopped to dig them. My husband even gave me a tool one year for that expressed purpose.
One day on my way home from work, I was saddened to see that the highway department had cleared up the fields and the pretty blue flowers were gone. I thought to myself, "Way to go, you waited too long. You should have done it when you first saw them blooming this spring. "
A week ago we were shocked and saddened to learn that my oldest sister-in-law has a cancer. She is 20 years older than my husband and unfortunately, because of age and distance, we haven't been as close as we all would have liked.
I couldn't help but see the connection between the pretty blue flowers and the relationship between my husband's sister and us. I do believe that God has given us some time left to plant some wonderful memories that will bloom every year for us.
And yes, if I see the blue flowers again, I'm sure I'll stop and transplant them to my wildflower garden.
小題1:How long might the blue flower bloom in spring?

A．About two weeks.	B．The whole season.
C．About one week.	D．The whole day.

小題2:Where did the writer want to transplant the flowers?

A．Across the fields.	B．Along the highway.
C．In the garden.	D．Outside the yard.

小題3:Which of the following is NOT true about the writer's sister-in-law?

A．She is seriously ill.

B．She is twenty years old.

C．She lives far away from the writer.

D．She is not in close touch with the writer.

小題4:What does the writer want to tell us?

A．Value now and don't lose chances.

B．Visit our relatives only after they get ill.

C．Refresh our wonderful moments every year.

D．Plant flowers and don't enjoy them in the field.

An old man once had an argument with his only son. He tried to __36__ many times, but the young man would not __37__. The father never__38__ because he loved his son with all his heart, but the son would not give in, __39__ he was too blinded by his pride.
Years passed and as the man lay in his deathbed, he made a __40__ attempt to reconcile (和解) with his son, but __41__ he would not listen and so the father died with a heart full of __42__.
During this time the son too had a child who had now __43__ into a young adult. To this child he never __44__ his father and when the young man asked about his grandfather he __45__   tell him never to mention him again.
One day, they two were involved in a hot __46__ and his son fled away as he did many years ago. This made the man extremely__47__ and this time he had no __48__, but felt completely isolated. (孤立的)
He was afraid that he would__49__ his son forever and for the first time after many years he realized how his father must have__50__ many years back.
He remembered how he had __51__ his old man and only at that point he realized the extent of the hurt he had caused. The __52__ he thought the more he understood how unjust he was with his old father, the man who gave him everything __53__ his life.
With these sad thoughts he felt __54__ on the couch. The next morning when he opened his eyes he found __55__ lying in his bed and in front of him stood his son. The man could not believe his eyes, and the two hugged each other while they cried together.

小題1:	A．bend B．predict C．a(chǎn)pologize D．seek

小題2:	A．stop B．listen C．chose D．come

小題3:	A．brought about B．gave up C．got in D．made up

小題4:	A．if B．when C．thought D．because

小題5:	A．final B．big C．latest D．useless

小題6:	A．still B．ever C．once D．just

小題7:	A．a(chǎn)nger B．curiosity C．sorrow D．gratitude

小題8:	A．left out B．grown up C．put aside D．turned up

小題9:	A．mentioned B．hid C．praised D．forgave

小題10:

A．would B．need C．must D．might

小題11:

A．imagination B．room C．a(chǎn)rgument D．discussion

小題12:

A．sad B．confused C．a(chǎn)nnoyed D．a(chǎn)fraid

小題13:

A．thought B．pride C．laugh D．guess

小題14:

A．throw B．change C．return D．lose

小題15:

A．felt B．done C．watched D．regretted

小題16:

A．hurt B．a(chǎn)bandoned C．disappointed D．scolded

小題17:

A．better B．higher C．more D．older

小題18:

A．before B．throughout C．into D．a(chǎn)gainst

小題19:

A．painful B．frightened C．relaxed D．a(chǎn)sleep

小題20:

A．his father B．his son C．someone D．himself

Early one morning the sub-inspector at a station at the other end of the town rang me. An elephant was damaging the town. Would I please come and do something about it? I did not know what I could do, but I got onto a horse and started out. I took my gun, maybe too small to kill an elephant, but I thought the noise might scare him. Various local people stopped me on the way and told me about the elephant's doings. It was not, of course, a wild elephant, but a tame one. It had been chained up but last night it had broken its chain and escaped. Its owner had set out to run after it, but had taken the wrong direction. He was now twelve hours' journey away, and in the morning the elephant had suddenly appeared in the town. It had already destroyed somebody's bamboo hut (棚屋), killed a cow and turned over fruit¬stalls. I came round the hut and saw a man's dead body sprawling in the mud. He was an Indian, and he could not have been dead many minutes. The people said that the elephant caught him with its trunk, put its foot on his back and   grounded him into the earth. This was the rainy season and he was lying on his stomach in the soft mud, the peacebreaker standing beside, looking innocent. As I lifted my gun, I hesitated a few seconds. Then I fired. That was a shot for him. You could see the pain of it knocking the last strength from his legs. But in falling he seemed for a moment to rise, his trunk reaching skyward like a tree. He trumpeted, for the first and only time. And then down he came, with a crash that shook the ground.
小題1:Which of the following statements about the author is TRUE?

A．He was an Indian.

B．He knew elephants well.

C．He was not a local villager.

D．He was the owner of the elephant.

小題2:The elephant made so much trouble because ________.

A．its owner treated him cruelly

B．it got out of control

C．it hated the village people

D．it was a wild elephant

小題3:The underlined words “the peacebreaker” in Paragraph 4 refer to ________.

A．the elephant	B．the dead man
C．the author	D．the sub¬inspector

小題4:It can be inferred that the author felt ________ when he shot the elephant.

A．excited

B．sad

C．frightened

D．happy

When I woke next morning, I was dying of 36 .I seemed to have a hole instead of a  37   I dressed quickly and hurried down to the dinning-room. It was a big room with six tall windows and the ugliest wallpaper（背景墻） I had ever seen ! 38 , I had been told the hotel was not beautiful but that you were better 39 there than in any other hotel; and that was 40 I wanted just then.
The waiter came hurrying up. Before I came downstairs I had prepared 41 carefully for what I must 42. I had looked three times in my dictionary to make sure 43 “breakfast” really meant “breakfast”. I had tried to get the right 44 and I had stood in the front of a mirror and twisted my mouth until it ached.
The waiter asked me 45 I could not understand, but I spoke only my one prepared word “breakfast”. He looked at me in a 46  way, so I repeated it, still he did not understand. It was 47 that English people didn’t understand their language. The waiter 48 his head and went away, but he came back in a minute and brought a tray with tea, bread and butter--- enough to feed a small army--- and went away. But I was hungry, and I left 49. When the waiter came back I thought his face showed a little 50, but you can never 51 what a waiter’s face really shows. In another minute he brought 52  tray with some bacon(熏肉) and some eggs. He 53  have misunderstood me , but I thought it was no use explaining to people who don’t understand their own language , so I just set to work on the bacon and eggs, wondering whether I could possibly clear that plate.
Well, I finished the bacon and eggs. I got up and made my way slowly to my room-----at least five pound 54 . I never believed until then that any meal could 55 me, but on that day I met my Waterloo(滑鐵盧).

小題1:	A．hunger B．cold C．a(chǎn)nger D．illness

小題2:	A．stone B．head C．breast D．stomach

小題3:	A．Therefore B．Otherwise C．So D．However

小題4:	A．received B．fed C．cared D．eating

小題5:	A．just B．what C．that D．why

小題6:	A．English B．meal C．questions D．myself

小題7:	A．speak B．a(chǎn)nswer C．say D．explain

小題8:	A．that B．a(chǎn)bout C．of D．to

小題9:	A．pronunciation B．meaning C．form D．spelling

小題10:

A．whether B．something C．when D．what

小題11:

A．surprised B．friendly C．puzzled D．touched

小題12:

A．unbelievable B．true C．thought D．a(chǎn) pity

小題13:A waved          B. shook         C. bowed              D. patted

小題14:

A．much B．a(chǎn) little C．nothing D．empty

小題15:

A．pleasure B．surprise C．pride D．satisfaction

小題16:

A．tell B．guess C．design D．express

小題17:

A．other B．a(chǎn)nother C．more D．me

小題18:

A．should B．might C．would D．must

小題19:

A．lighter B．heavier C．weightier D．more

小題20:

A．hurt B．fat C．defeat D．please

I fell in love with music from a young age and often sat down making a few songs of my own．What would life be like, I wondered, without a beautiful song? In 1992, I made two love songs to my darling wife and watched tears run down her face as I sang．"Sam," she said earnestly, "Your songs should be heard by more people."
She got my ballads and started bothering various media people about me, her singing barber husband．Two radio stations took an interest and played the songs．After the programme was aired, I became known in our community as the Singing Barber．
The biggest surprise, however, was still to come．I received a call from a music promoter who offered me a long-term recording contract．He explained that he would be investing a lot of money to market my songs．I needed to be wholly focused on selling my records all over Australia．
But I hesitated．
My friends all told me to go for it．And Mary also thought I should do．"Go, Sam．I'll manage with the family．．．it'll be OK．"
I watched my daughter and son playing in the backyard．Soon they would both be in high school．．．a(chǎn)nd where would I be? I was so used to my family turning to me for love and support．If I were to start a singing career, I would not only miss them terribly, I'd also certainly miss out on watching them grow up．Signing this contract would put a huge gap between my family and me．．．a(chǎn)nd I couldn't bear it．My family was my life．So I refused the music promoter's offer．I'm still making music, I'm rich in love and I have no regrets．
小題1:When the author was offered the contract, most of his friends _____．

A．envied him

B．laughed at him

C．encouraged him

D．didn't believe him

小題2:Why did the author give up the contract?

A．Because his wife was strongly against it．

B．Because the pay was not attractive enough．

C．Because he wanted to care about his two kids．

D．Because he didn't want his family life damaged．

小題3:According to the passage, we can infer the author _____．

A．used to be a country singer

B．preferred his present life

C．went on the road to fame

D．regretted giving up his contract

小題4:What does the author mainly intend to tell us?

A．One should know himself．

B．Interest is the best teacher．

C．Family should come first．

D．Every dog has its day．

Mayor Boris Johnson Monday outlined plans to make London “the cleanest” by the 2012 Olympics and called for commitments from other world cities at a climate change conference. Leaders of the world's 40 largest cities are meeting in Seoul this week for a summit on combating global warming ---- the third to be held since 2005.
"What we should do in Seoul is agree that we will stop the endless addiction of mankind to the internal combustion engine (內(nèi)燃機(jī))," said Johnson. He told a press conference the world's cities consume 75 percent of its energy and produce 80 percent of the emissions which cause climate change. "The problem of our planet is an urban problem," Johnson said.
He said the British capital wants to use the Olympics "to drive the greening and the improvement of our city" and noted that London is committed to reduce carbon emissions by 60 percent by 2025.
Johnson said the key measure was addressing the problems relating to domestic and commercial buildings, which accounted for 70 percent of carbon dioxide emissions in London. This involved retrofitting (翻新) ---- installing lagging (絕緣層材料) ---- in large numbers of public buildings.
Johnson proclaimed himself a "passionate cyclist" and said he would push ahead with cycle super-highways around London.
London's air quality problem, he said, was caused by vehicle emissions from 8,300 antiquated (陳舊的) diesel (柴油) buses, which could be replaced by low-carbon vehicles. There were also 32,000 taxis running on diesel fuel, which could be replaced by electric vehicles.
Johnson said there would be a substantial (實(shí)質(zhì)上的) program in the next few years to produce a "cleaner, greener" bus for his city. "The age of the diesel-emitting bus has got to be over in London."
小題1:Which of the following statements is NOT TRUE according to this passage?

A．The used buses running on diesel will be replaced by electric vehicles.

B．London’s air quality will be improved in the near future.

C．London promises to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 60 percent by 2025.

D．Plans have been made to solve the problem of carbon dioxide emissions.

小題2:What does the underlined word mean in the first paragraph?

A．discussing

B．resisting

C．a(chǎn)greeing

D．supporting

小題3:The topic of the meeting in Seoul might be __________.

A．climate change	B．London Olympics in 2012
C．global warming	D．green environment

小題4:If the passage was continually written, the following might be __________.

A．measures to replace the old and used vehicles

B．measures to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in London

C．measures to solve housing and commercial items

D．measures to end the age of the diesel bus

Lynn was a young French Canadian girl who grew up in the farming community. At the age of l6, her father thought that she had enough schooling and forced her to drop out of school to contribute to the family income. In l922, with limited education and skills, the future didn’t look bright for Lynn. Her father demanded that Lynn find a job as soon as possible, but she didn’t have the confidence to ask for a job.
One day, Lynn gathered her courage and knocked on her very first door. She was met by Margaret Costello, the office manager. In her broken English, Lynn told her she was interested in the secretarial position. Margaret decided to give her a chance.
Margaret sat her down at a typewriter and said, “Lynn, let’s see how good you really are.” She directed Lynn to type a single letter, and then left. Lynn looked at the clock and saw that it was 11:40 a.m. Everyone would be leaving for lunch at noon. She thought she should at least attempt the letter.
On her first try, she got through one line but made four mistakes. She pulled the paper out and threw it away. The clock now read 11:45. “At noon,” she said to herself, “I’ll move out with the crowd, and they will never see me again.”
On her second attempt, things didn’t get any better. Again she started over and finally completed the letter, full of mistakes, though. She looked at the clock: 11:55—five minutes to freedom.
Just then, Margaret walked in. She came directly over to Lynn, and put one hand on the desk and the other on the girl’s shoulder. She read the letter and paused. Then she said, “Lynn, you’re doing good work!”
Lynn was surprised. She looked at the letter, then up at Margaret. With those simple words of encouragement, her desire to escape disappeared and her confidence began to grow. She thought, “Well, if she thinks it’s good, then it must be good. I think I’ll stay!”
Lynn did stay at Carhartt Overall Company…for 51 years, through two world wars and 11 presidents—all because someone had the insight to give a shy and uncertain young girl the gift of self-confidence when she knocked on the door.
小題1:Why did Lynn leave school at an early age?

A．To learn English well.

B．To earn money for her family.

C．To get self-confidence.

D．To become a typist.

小題2:When Lynn applied for the job, she              .

A．could speak good English

B．didn’t know much about typing

C．knew Margaret very well

D．never wrote any letter

小題3:How many attempts did Lynn make to type the letter?

A．One.

B．Two.

C．Three.

D．Four.

小題4:Who does the underlined word “someone” in the last paragraph refer to?

A．Lynn’s father.

B．Lynn herself.

C．A president.

D．Margaret.

小題5:What can we learn from Lynn's story?

A．Encouragement makes a difference.

B．Honesty is the best policy.

C．Virtue(美德) leads to success.

D．Time waits for no man.

Howard Dill is a giant among giant pumpkin(南瓜) growers. He grew world champion pumpkins for four years running，from 1979 to 1982, and missed winning the fifth year by only 5 pounds. Today, his Dill Atlantic Giant seeds are sold worldwide to more than 50 seed companies. The pumpkins grown from his Dill Atlantic Giant seeds commonly weigh in at over 1,000 pounds. “I don’t have any training in genetics(遺傳學(xué)); it was all trial and error,” Dill says. He got his love of pumpkins from his father and has enjoyed growing them for years.
Dill still grows giant pumpkins, but not for competition. In the fall, visitors come to enjoy the pumpkins on his 90-acre farm in Nova Scotia, Canada. He plants ten acres of pumpkins for Halloween and two acres of giant pumpkins. One of giant pumpkins was recently baked into 442 pumpkin pies and sold at $5 each for charity.
It you want to try growing a giant pumpkin, Dill recommends starting with a soil test and then adding fertilizer(農(nóng)藥) as needed. Plant the giant pumpkin seed. A giant pumpkin can gain 15 to 20 pounds a day, so careful watering—every day or two—is necessary. You should wait about 130 days until the pumpkin matures and then you can harvest it.
Dill’s favorite pumpkin set the Guinness Book record in 1981. It weighted 493.5 pounds. “I’ve grown them larger since, but that one meant a lot,” he remembers. “I never would have imagined ten
years ago that there would be a 1,000-pounder, but there are many of them now,” says Dill. The 2006 world record holder is Larry Checkon of Pennsylvania. He grew a 1,469 pounder. Dill says, “These world champions are grown from my seeds, so I feel like a winner right along with them.”
小題1:What can we learn about the world champion pumpkin of 1983?

A．It weighed over 1,000 pounds.

B．It was missing after the competition.

C．It was 5 pounds heavier than that of 1982.

D．It was 5 pounds heavier than Dill’s biggest one that year.

小題2: One of Dill’s giant pumpkins earned              .

A．$2210

B．$442

C．$1000

D．$1469

小題3: In the third paragraph Dill mainly tells about              .

A．how to do a soil test

B．how to plant the giant pumpkin seed

C．when to water the pumpkin

D．how to grow a giant pumpkin

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

A．Gardening Giant: Howard Dill

B．World Champion Pumpkin

C．Dill Atlantic Giant Seeds

D．How to Grow Giant Pumpkins

It’s certain that the following tale is a nice example that can teach us a good lesson. One day, a young man  36 begged from door to door along the street.  37  an old wallet in hand, he was asking for a few coins to buy something to eat. He kept complaining about his bad 38  and kept wondering why those who had so much money were never   39  and were always desiring more.
“As for me, if I had only enough to eat and to wear, I would not want anything more."
Just at that moment Goddess Fortune  40  the beggar among the crowd and approached him, greeting, “Hi, young man, I have wished to   41  you for a long time. If you open your wallet, I will pour my gold into it. But keep in mind that I will do that only on this   42 : All that falls into the wallet will be pure gold belonging to you; but every piece falling upon the ground 43  become dust, worth nothing. Are you clear?”
“I see. Now I’m ready. ” said the beggar with confidence.
“Then you should   44 ! It’s obvious that your wallet is a/an   45 one, so don’t load it too heavily,” said the Goddess Fortune. 
The excited beggar could hardly   46 to have gold. He quickly opened his wallet, and a   47  of yellow coins was poured into it. The wallet became heavier and heavier.
“Is that enough? Isn’t it cracking? Will your wallet strong enough for more?” warned the Goddess.
“Never  48 .It’s still strong enough now” replied the beggar firmly.
The wallet was filled with so many coins that the beggar’s hands began to   49 . “Ah, if only the golden stream would   50  forever! Just a little more,” said the beggar, “  51  just a handful or two.”
“There! It’s full. The wallet will   52 .” warned the Goddess again, but the beggar insisted, “ I know it will  53  a little more, just a little more.”
One more piece was added and the wallet split. The   54  fell upon the ground and became dust. The greedy beggar had now   55  but his broken wallet.

小題1:	A．in debt B．in rags C．in danger D．in trouble

小題2:	A．Picking B．Gathering C．Winning D．Holding

小題3:	A．clothes B．wallet C．fortune D．chance

小題4:	A．relaxed B．disappointed C．worried D．satisfied

小題5:	A．a(chǎn)dmitted B．seized C．realized D．spotted

小題6:	A．help B．forgive C．praise D．comfort

小題7:	A．occasion B．condition C．situation D．suggestion

小題8:	A．shall B．would C．should D．might

小題9:	A．look down B．look after C．look up D．look out

小題10:

A．small B．worn C．empty D．full

小題11:

A．stand B．think C．breathe D．wait

小題12:

A．stream B．piece C．pair D．variety

小題13:

A．a(chǎn)sk B．request C．insist D．fear

小題14:

A．spread B．shake C．loose D．close

小題15:

A．pour B．end C．dry D．freeze

小題16:

A．take B．lend C．a(chǎn)dd D．send

小題17:

A．flow B．change C．disappear D．burst

小題18:

A．a(chǎn)ttract B．hold C．include D．permit

小題19:

A．present B．food C．treasure D．metal

小題20:

A．nothing B．a(chǎn)nything C．everything D．something

At the time my son was born in 1956, I shared a hospital room with a young woman who bore a boy on the same day. Partly because my parents  46 a shop selling flowers, the room was soon  47  with the lovely scent of roses.
　  As the seventh floral arrangement was   48  , I was beginning to feel  49 , for no flowers had arrived for my roommate, Ann. She sat on the edge of her bed and leaned forward to admire the  50  bouquet. She was a pretty young woman, yet there was something about her large, brown eyes that made me think she had known too much  51 , too much sadness for one so young. I had the feeling she had always had to admire someone else’  52  .
　 “I’m enjoying every  53 of this”, she said as though she had read my   54  and was trying to reassure me. “Wasn’t I the lucky one to get you for a   55 ？”
　  I still felt uncomfortable, however.  56   there were some magic button I could push to  57   the sadness in her eyes. Well, I thought, at least,I can see that she has some flowers. When my mother and father came to see me that day, I asked them to send  58 some.
　　The flowers arrived just   59  Ann and I were finishing supper.
　　“More flowers for you,” she said,   60  .
　　“No, not this time,” I said, looking at the     61   “These are for you.”
　　Ann stared at the blossoms a long time, not saying anything. She ran her 62  across the pale blue bouquets and  63 touched each of the sweet roses as though trying to engrave（刻畫） them on her 64 .
　　“How can I ever thank you” she said softly.
I was almost embarrassed. It was such a little    65  on my part.

小題1:	A．a(chǎn)ttended B．owed C．a(chǎn)bsorbed D．owned

小題2:	A．full B．filled C．crowd D．involved

小題3:	A．brought out B．brought up C．brought down D．brought in

小題4:	A．convenient B．enjoyable C．a(chǎn)ttractive D．uncomfortable

小題5:	A．newest B．last C．latest D．largest

小題6:	A．struggling B．a(chǎn)dmiring C．delighting D．thrilling

小題7:	A．bouquets B．shops C．family D．money

小題8:	A．minute B．day C．week D．month

小題9:	A．ideas B．opinions C．thoughts D．dreams

小題10:

A．friend B．sister C．roommate D．colleague

小題11:

A．Before long B．Long before C．If only D．Only if

小題12:

A．take apart B．take away C．take out D．take in

小題13:

A．her B．him C．them D．us

小題14:

A．when B．while C．a(chǎn)s D．before

小題15:

A．wondering B．a(chǎn)ssisting C．laughing D．explaining

小題16:

A．basket B．floor C．window D．card

小題17:

A．mouth B．fingers C．face D．eyes

小題18:

A．delightedly B．instantly C．curiously D．lightly

小題19:

A．friendship B．memory C．feeling D．description

小題20:

A．sympathy B．kindness C．emotion D．mercy