D
Wilma was born on June 23, 1940 in St Bethlehem, Tennesse. By the time she was 6, Wilma Rudolph was given metal braces (支架) to aid her in walking. She started receiving treatment with help from her family. A few years later, she walked without any assistance into the church.
When she was in junior high, she joined the basketball team. She finally made an appeal to compete in games again and when her wish was finally permitted, she amazed everyone by leading the team to an undefeated season and the state championships. Though they lost the championship title in the end, Wilma Rudolph earned the attention of the women’s track coach，Ed Template at Tennessee State University and was invited to join the "Tigerbelles"．Her efforts paid off as she turned out to be so good that the Tigerbelles invited her to join them in the national Olympic team trails. Not only did she make it into the team, but she won a bronze medal in the 4×100 m relay at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. Four years later, Rudolph set a world 200 m record (22.9 seconds) at the 1960 US Championships. At the Rome Olympics in 1960, she competed in the 100 m, 200 m and 4×100 m relay, and equaled the world record of 11.3 seconds in the semifinals (半决赛) of the 100 m. She won the final by three metres in 11.0 seconds, but it was not accepted as a world record.
Wilma Rudolph’s extraordinary achievements in Rome made her a darling of the European press who gave her the nickname "The Black Gazelle (羚羊)" and "The Black Pearl". She also became the first woman in American history to win 3 gold medals in the Olympics and was crowned "the Fastest Woman in the World", Wilma Rudolph’s spirit inspired people such as Jackie Joyner Kersee and Florence Griffith Joyner who became the next woman to win 3 gold medals.
【小题1】What problem did Wilma face according to Paragraph 1?

A．Not being able to speak.	B．Not being able to walk.
C．Losing her sight.	D．Losing her hearing.

【小题2】We learn that Wilma broke the world record in________.

A．the 4×100m relay at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics

B．the semifinals of the 100m at the Rome Olympics

C．the 200m at the 1960 US Championships

D．the final of the 100m at the Rome Olympics

【小题3】 How many people that at least won 3 Olympics gold medals in American history are
mentioned in the passage?

A．One.

B．Three.

C．Four.

D．Five.

                                  A
Before I started school, people felt that I was not going to be successful. At the age of four I started speech lessons because basically I could not speak well enough for anyone to understand me. The story goes downhill from here.
The first grade was a struggle. I not only had difficulty speaking, but also felt nervous about the fact that I was expected to learn to read and I just couldn’t do it. The second grade was not much better. I still struggled with the inability to read. It was in the third grade that the school district built a new school close to my home. I remember going there with my parents and helping to get the school ready so that we could move to the new one. However, things were still not much better as far as my schooling was concerned and did not get better for the next two years.
It was in the fifth grade. Mrs. Wakefield was my teacher, and if ever there was a teacher that deserved a gold star, it was her. She did not make me feel defeated. On the contrary, she did her best to let me know that I could be whatever I wanted to be. And that is just what I did.
For the past 22 years, I have been a fifth grade teacher. Because of Mrs. Wakefield’s influence on my life, I am now encouraging students who have had difficulties in their lives to believe that they can overcome any difficulty and become someone. I have won numerous awards up to now, such as Teacher of the Year. I owe it all to one fifth grade teacher who believed in me and challenged me to be all that I could be.
【小题1】The writer ______ when he was in the third grade.

A．did better in reading	B．began speech lessons
C．went to a new school	D．received a high award

【小题2】We can learn from the passage that the writer ______.

A．is a very successful teacher now

B．thinks teaching is a challenging job

C．has solved problems with his own effort

D．works in the same school with Mrs. Wakefield

【小题3】What is the writer’s purpose in writing the passage?

A．To express his devotion to his work.

B．To show his respect to a special teacher.

C．To share his teaching experience with us.

D．To tell us his story of overcoming difficulties.

Would you believe that the first outstanding deaf teacher in America was a Frenchman? His name was Laurent Clerc. He became a friend of Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet and together they founded America's first school for the deaf.
Laurent Clerc was born in a small village near Lyons, France, on December 26, 1785. When he was one year old, he fell into a fire, losing both his hearing and his sense of smell.
At 12, Laurent entered the Royal Institution for the Deaf in Paris where he did well in his studies. After he graduated, the school asked him to stay on as an assistant teacher.
Meanwhile, in America, Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet was studying to be a minister. He was very concerned about the lack of educational opportunities for the deaf. Therefore, in 1815, Gallaudet sailed to London, England to seek ideas on how to teach deaf people. While he was there, he met a French educator of the deaf who invited him to go to Paris to spend three months learning at the Royal Institution for the Deaf, the school where Laurent Clerc was teaching. Gallaudet accepted the offer. The two worked and studied well together. When the time came for Gallaudet to return, he asked Clerc to come with him. Clerc accepted on one condition: that he would stay in America only a short time.
The two men set sail on June 18, 1816. The voyage across the Atlantic Ocean took 52 days; however, Clerc and Gallaudet put the time to good use. Clerc studied English, and Gallaudet studied sign language. They discussed the school for the deaf which they planned to open. On the long trip, they had many conversations about education and deafness. The year after they arrived, they founded a school for the deaf in Harford, Connecticut.
At the school, Clerc led a busy life. He taught signs to Principal Gallaudet; he taught the pupils; and he taught hearing men who came to the school to study deaf education.
In 1819, Clerc married Eliza Crocker Boardman, one of his pupils. They had six children. He retired from teaching in 1858. Although he had intended to return to France, he never did. He died on July 18, 1869 in the United States.
【小题1】Why did Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet sail to London?

A．He needed to finish his studies to become a minister.

B．It was the easiest way to get to France.

C．He wanted to study their system of deaf education.

D．He wanted to marry Alice Cogswell.

【小题2】On their trip from Paris to America, Clerc and Gallaudet ___________.

A．played cards and socialized

B．studied and discussed their plans for a deaf school

C．founded a school for the deaf

D．Gallaudet studied English and Clerc studied Sign Language

【小题3】Which is the right order of the things Clerc did？

A．met Gallaudet, moved to America, got married, went to school in Paris.

B．met Gallaudet, went to school in Paris, moved to America, got married.

C．went to school in Paris, met Gallaudet, moved to America, got married.

D．got married, went to school in Paris, met Gallaudet, moved to America.

【小题4】The main idea of this passage could best be stated as_________.

A．Clerc managed his time well, and was able to teach a lot of information in a short period of time

B．Thomas Gallaudet was grateful to Clerc for all that he taught him

C．Clerc preferred teaching deaf students to hearing students

D．Clerc, an educated Frenchman, had a great impact on American Deaf Education

"Colour" and "color"，"favourite" and "favorite"... Have you ever wondered why Americans spell those words without a "u"? Is it because they are lazy?
Of course not. In fact，the difference in spelling was created by Noah Webster (1758-1843). He is a teacher who reformed English to make American identity stronger. Linguists (语言学家) celebrated his 250th birthday on October 16. After the Revolutionary War (1775~ 1783)，Webster believed that Americans should have their own dictionary，rather than rely on British versions (版本). He dropped the British "u" in some words. And he changed "centre" into "center" for children to learn English by spelling words more like they sounded.
Webster wasn't shy about expressing his opinions. In defining (定义) preposterous (unreasonable)，he wrote: "A republican government in the hands of females is preposterous."
Webster spent 28 years on the project before completing the 70,000-word dictionary in 1828 with his American-style spellings. He also added local words. His dictionary was widely used in schools. Linguists believed it helped a new nation achieve unity and cultural independence at a time when most were focused on political freedom.
"He was the shaper of our language and the shaper of American identity，"said Joshua Kendall，who is working on a biography (传记) about Webster. "He at last bonded (联合)us through our language."
【小题1】Which of the following would probably be the best title for the passage?

A．The shaper of American English.

B．American identity.

C．Webster's dictionary.

D．Spelling differences between American and British English.

【小题2】According to the passage，when he worked on his dictionary, Noah Webster did all of the following EXCEPT        .

A．voicing his opinion	B．changing "centre" into "center"
C．adding local words	D．dropping "u" in all the British words

【小题3】Which of the following word can best describe Noah Webster’s work?

A．Interesting.

B．Meaningful.

C．Unfinished.

D．Boring.

【小题4】Why did Noah Webster create these differences in his dictionary?

A．Because he wanted to make English simple and easy.

B．Because he wanted to show that the USA is stronger than the UK.

C．Because he wanted to achieve political freedom.

D．Because he wanted American English to have its own characteristics.

【小题5】When did Noah Webster probably begin his project of the dictionary?

A．In 1758.

B．In 1783.

C．In 1800.

D．In 1828.

“Can I see my baby？” the happy new mother asked. When the bundle was in her arms and she moved the fold of cloth to look upon his tiny face, she gasped. The doctor turned quickly and looked out of the tall hospital window. The baby had been born without ears.
Time proved that the baby’ s hearing was perfect. It was only his appearance that was imperfect. When he rushed home from school one day and threw himself into his mother’s arms, she sighed(叹息), knowing that his life was to be unfortunate. He cried to his mum “A boy, a big boy... called me a freak (怪人)．”
He grew up, handsome. A favorite with his fellow students, he might have been class president, but for that. He developed a gift, a talent for literature and music. “But you might communicate with other young people，” his mother blamed him, but felt a kindness in her heart.
Two years went by. One day, his father said to the son, “You’ re going to the hospital, son. Mother and I have someone who will donate the ears you need. But it’ s a secret.” The operation was a great success, and a new person appeared.
Later he married and became a lawyer. One day, he asked his father, “Who gave me the ears? Who gave me so much? I could never do enough for him or her.” “I do not believe you could，” said the father, “but the agreement was that you are not to know... not yet.”
The years kept their secret, but the day did come. He stood with his father over his mother’ s casket棺材. Slowly, tenderly, the father stretched forth a hand and raised the thick, reddish brown hair to show the mother had no outer ears.
“Mother said she was glad she never let her hair be cut，” his father whispered gently, “and nobody ever thought Mother less beautiful, did they？”
【小题1】Why did Mother gasp when she saw her newborn baby?

A．Because her son had a tiny face.	B．Because she saw her son crying.
C．Because her son was born imperfect.	D．Because her son was in her arms.

【小题2】Which word can describe Mother’ s feeling when the son threw himself into her arms?

A．Nervous.

B．Sympathetic.

C．Proud.

D．Angry.

【小题3】We can infer that the person who donate the ears is_____.

A．A doctor.

B．His father.

C．His mother.

D．A stranger.

【小题4】From the passage we know the followings are True except________

A．the mother felt sorry for the son without ears

B．the doctor didn’t like the baby

C．the boy meant everything to the mother

D．the father kept the secret until mother died

【小题5】The best title for the passage would be ________.

A．Mother’s hair	B．An unforgettable memory
C．Who gave me the ears?	D．Who is my best respectable person?

Grandma Moses is among the most famous twentieth-century painters of the United States, yet she did not start painting until she was in her late seventies. As she once said to herself: " I would never sit back in a rocking chair, waiting for someone to help me." No one could have had a more productive old age.
She was born Anna Mary Robertson on a farm in New York State, one of five boys and five girls. At twelve she left home and was in domestic service until, at twenty--seven, she married Thomas Moses, the hired hand of one of her employers. They farmed most of their lives, first in Virginia and then in New York State, at Eagle Bridge. She had ten children, of whom five survived; her husband died in 1927.
Grandma Moses painted a little as a child and made embroidery (刺绣) pictures as a hobby, but only changed to oils in old age because her hands had become too stiff to sew and she wanted to keep busy and pass the time. Her pictures were first sold at the local drugstore and at a market and were soon noticed by a businessman who bought everything she painted. Three of the pictures exhibited in the Museum of Modern Art, and in 1940 she had her first exhibition in New York. Between the 1930's and her death, she produced some 2,000 pictures: detailed and lively portrayals of the country life she had known for so long, with a wonderful sense of color and form. "I think really hard till I think of something really pretty, and then I paint it" she said.
【小题1】According to the passage, Grandma Moses began to paint because she wanted to_______.

A．make herself beautiful	B．become famous
C．earn more money	D．keep active

【小题2】Grandma Moses spent most of her life ________.

A．nursing

B．painting

C．farming

D．embroidering

【小题3】The underlined word “portrayals ” means ________.
A. expressions       B explanations     C. descriptions  .  D. impressions
【小题4】From Grandma Moses' description of herself in the first paragraph, it can be inferred that she was ________.

A．pretty

B．nervous

C．rich

D．independent

【小题5】Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?

A．The Children of Grandma Moses.	B．Grandma Moses: Her Life and Pictures.
C．Grandma Moses: Her Best Exhibition.	D．Grandma Moses and Other Older Artists.

It was an afternoon Truman would never forget．
Rayburn and his friend were talking in the office before Truman arrived. The telephone rang. It was a call from the White House asking whether Vice-President Truman had arrived yet. No, Rayburn replied. The caller asked to have him telephone the White House as soon as he arrived.
Truman entered a minute later. He immediately called the White House. As he talked, his face became white. He put down the phone and raced out of the door to his car.
Truman arrived at the White House within minutes. An assistant took him to the president’s private living area. Eleanor Roosevelt, the president’s wife, was waiting for him there. “Harry,” she said, “the president is dead.” Truman was shocked. He asked Mrs. Roosevelt if there was anything he could do to help her. But her reply made clear to him that his own life had suddenly changed. “Is there anything we can do for you ?” Mrs. Roosevelt asked the new president, “You are the one in trouble now.”
Truman had been a surprise choice for vice-president at the Democratic Party nominating convention in nineteen forty-four. Delegates considered several other candidates before they chose him as Roosevelt’s running mate. That was at a time when presidential candidates did not make their own choices for vice-president．
Harry Truman lacked the fame，the rich family and the strong speech-making skills of Franklin Roosevelt．He was a much simpler man．He grew up in the Midwestern state of Missouri．Truman only studied through high school but took some nighttime law school classes．He worked for many years as a farmer and a small businessman，but without much success．
Truman had long been interested in politics．When he was almost forty，he finally won several low-level positions in his home state．By nineteen thirty-four，he was popular enough in Missouri to be nominated and elected to the United States Senate. And he won re-election six years later．
Most Americans, however, knew little about Harry Truman when he became president．They knew he had close ties to the Democratic Party political machine in his home state．But they had also heard that he was a very honest man．They could see that Truman had strongly supported President Roosevelt’s New Deal programs．But they could not be sure what kind of president Truman would become．
At the center of all the action was Harry Truman．It was not long before he showed Americans and the world that he had the ability to be a good president．He was honest，strong and willing to make decisions．
【小题1】When Mrs. Roosevelt said”You are the one in trouble now”，she really meant that         ．

A．Truman’s life had suddenly changed

B．Truman was at the center of all the action

C．Truman was a surprise choice for vice-president

D．Truman had close ties to the Democratic Party

【小题2】According to the passage，of Truman’s day，the president’s running mate was         ．

A．decided by delegates

B．recommended by presidential candidates

C．chosen by the Democratic Party

D．elected by vice-president

【小题3】Truman served as the U．S．Senator           ．

A．for ten years	B．before he was forty
C．before 1943	D．for two terms

【小题4】What’s the best title of the passage?

A．An Unforgettable Afternoon

B．Vital Telephone Call Makes a Difference

C．Truman Makes His Decisions

D．Roosevelt’s Death Makes Truman President

Most dog owners feel that their dogs are their best friends. Almost everyone likes dogs because they try hard to please their owners. One of my favorite stories is about a dog who wanted his owner to please him.
One of my friends has a large German shepherd ( 牧羊狗) named Jack. Every Sunday afternoon, my friend takes Jack for a walk in the park. Jack likes these long walks very much. One Sunday afternoon, a young man came to visit my friend. He stayed a long time, and he talked and talked.
Soon it was time for my friend to take Jack for his walk, but the visitor didn’t leave. Jack became very worried about his walk in the park. He walked around the room several times and then sat down directly in front of the visitor and looked at him. But the visitor paid no attention. He continued talking. Finally, Jack couldn’t stand it any longer. He went out of the room and came back a few minutes later. He sat down again in front of the visitor, but this time he held the man’s hat in his mouth.
　German shepherds aren’t the only intelligent dogs. Another intelligent dog is a Seeing Eye dog. This is a special dog which helps blind people walk along the streets and do many other things. We call these dogs Seeing Eye dogs because they are the “eye” of the blind people and they help them to “see”. Seeing Eye dogs generally go to special schools for several years to learn to help blind people.
【小题1】The writer tells the story about the dog Jack to show that____.

A．it, like many other dogs, always tried to please its owner master

B．it, unlike many other dogs, always wanted its master to please it

C．it was more intelligent than many other dogs

D．it was the most faithful dog of his friend’s

【小题2】Jack came to sit in front of the visitor in order to____.

A．please him	B．be pleased
C．ask him to leave immediately	D．invite him for a walk

【小题3】The sentence “Finally, Jack couldn’t stand it any longer.” means___.

A．Jack could no longer put up with the visitor

B．Jack could no longer stand but he might sit down

C．Jack was very tired and wanted a rest

D．Jack was very angry with the visitor

【小题4】Which of the following titles would be the best for the passage?

A．Dogs─A Great Help to People

B．Dogs ─ Our Faithful Companions

C．An Introduction to Dogs

D．Famous Dogs in Germany

Once upon a time，two brothers who lived on neighboring farms fell into conflict(冲突)．It was the first serious one between them in 40 years of farming peacefully side by side. In the end，they fell apart.
One morning，a man with a carpenter's toolbox came for some work. The elder brother said，“I just have a job for you. Look at that farm across the creek(河沟)．My younger brother lives there. It was he who used his bulldozer(推土机)to dig the creek last week to spite(刁难)me. So I want you to build me a fence，an 8­foot­high fence，in order not to see his place any more.”The carpenter smiled and said，“I see. I'll try to do a job that satisfies you.”Then the elder brother went downtown.
At sunset when the farmer returned，the carpenter had just finished his job. The farmer's eyes opened wide! To his surprise，there was no fence there at all！Instead, there was a bridge stretching from one side of the creek to the other! A fine piece of work! He saw his younger brother coming to him with the hands outstretching. The brothers stood at each end of the bridge，and then they met in the middle，taking each other's hands. They turned to see the carpenter lift his toolbox on his shoulder. “No，wait! Stay a few days. I've a lot of other work for you，” said the elder brother.“I'd love to stay on，”the carpenter said，“but I have so many more bridges to build.”
【小题1】What was the life like for the two brothers before the conflict?

A．They lived a poor life.

B．They lived in peace.

C．They never spoke to each other.

D．They lived on the same farm.

【小题2】It can be learned that the carpenter was __________.

A．unwilling to obey the farmer.

B．fond of building bridges.

C．unable to build a fence

D．willing to help others.

【小题3】Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A．The elder brother used his bulldozer to dig a creek.

B．The elder brother helped the carpenter build the bridge.

C．The brothers were both satisfied with the carpenter's work.

D．The carpenter planned to build an 8­foot­high fence as asked to.

【小题4】The best title for this passage is ________.

A．A Fine Piece of Work

B．A Carpenter

C．A Conflict Between Two Brothers

D．Two Brothers

I was in a strange city I didn’t know at all, and what’s more, I could not speak a word of the language. On my second day I got on the first bus that passed, rode on it for several stops, then got off and walked on. The first two hours passed pleasantly enough, then I decided to turn back to my hotel for lunch. After walking about for some time, I decided I had better ask the way. The trouble was that the only word I knew of the language was the name of the street in which I lived, and even that I pronounced badly. I stopped to ask a newspaper-seller. He handed me a paper. I shook my head and repeated the name of the street and he put the paper into my hands. I had to give him some money and went on my way. The next person I asked was a policeman. He listened to me carefully, nodded and gently took me by the arm. There was a strange look in his eyes as he pointed left and right and left again. I nodded politely and began walking in the direction he pointed.About an hour passed and I noticed that the houses were getting fewer and fewer and green fields were appearing on either side of me. I had come all the way into the countryside. The only thing left for me to do was find the nearest railway station.   
【小题1】From the story we know that the policeman______.  

A．was kind but didn’t understand the writer?

B．told the writer where to take a train

C．knew what the writer really meant

D．was cold-hearted and didn’t help the writer

【小题2】What can we learn from the last paragraph?  

A．The writer got close to the hotel where he stayed.?

B．The writer got to the hotel with the policeman’s help.?

C．The writer found he was much farther away from the hotel.?

D．The writer found the hotel in the direction the policeman pointed.

【小题3】In your opinion, what was the writer’s real trouble?  

A．He didn’t know the city at all.

B．He couldn’t speak the language.?

C．He went too far in the wrong bus.

D．He followed the policeman’s direction.