As the first woman Chancellor(总理) in German’s history, Angela Merkel topped Forbes magazine’s list of “The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women” in 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009.She has even been compared to Margaret Thatcher and many people called her  “Iron Lady”．
Merkel was born in Hamburg, West Germany, on July 17, 1954.Six weeks after she was born, her family moved to Templin. As a small child, Merkel quickly learned to speak but took longer to walk. “I was a stupid person when it came to moving？” Merkel said. “A normal person could do something naturally, but I had to think about it in my mind and practice.” As a teenager, she was the top student and graduated from high school with perfect marks. In 1973, Merkel went to the University of Leipzig, where she studied physics. At 32, she got her doctor’s degree in physics.
She stepped_into_politics in 1989.In her first big political job as Minister for the Environment in 1994, her scientific background and strong will proved very useful. In 2005 she became Germany’s Chancellor. She has been reelected to a second term as German Chancellor on September 27, 2009.
Through her political career, Merkel’s persistence (坚持) and patience helped her a lot. “She’s bright and open­minded,” said Hubert Markl. “She is the person who wants to know exactly what is going on, and how never giving up will influence our society and future.”
【小题1】As a small child, Merkel was slow in ________.

A．speaking

B．walking

C．learning

D．thinking

【小题2】The underlined phrase in Paragraph 3 most probably means “________”．

A．fought the government	B．began her scientific career
C．offered political guidance	D．became a government official

【小题3】We can infer from the passage that Angela Merkel ________.

A．is a powerful woman with a strong will and determination

B．got her doctor’s degree in politics in University of Leipzig

C．has worked as German Chancellor since Sep.27, 2009

D．showed her best talent as Minister for the Environment

【小题4】In the last paragraph the author mainly wants to express ________.

A．one must be brave in the political career

B．one should be patient when making decisions

C．persistence can help one’s dream come true

D．one can have a strong will when others haven’t

【小题5】What’s the author’s attitude toward Angela Merkel?

A．Admiring.

B．Thankful.

C．Pitiful .

D．Dull.

Growing up, I wanted to be just like my mom. She was kind. People always seemed to feel comfortable in her presence. For years, she was a volunteer in our community. I loved going to the local nursing home with her where she taught a ceramic class.
On one summer day, Mama told me to get changed and meet her at the car.
I had planned to spend the day at the lake with friends. Why did she have to ruin everything? I imagined the cool lake water. Irritated, I climbed into the car and slammed the door shut. We sat in silence. I was too upset to make conversation.
“Tasha, would you like to know where we are going?” Mama asked calmly.
“No,” I said.
“We are going to volunteer at a children’s shelter today. I have been there before and I think it would benefit you,” she explained.
When we reached the shelter, Mama rang the doorbell. Moments later, we were greeted by a woman. She led us to the front room where all of the children were playing. I noticed a baby whose body was scarred with iron marks. I was told it was because she wouldn’t stop crying. The majority of the children had noticeable physical scars. Others hid their emotional wounds.
As I took in my surroundings, I felt a gentle tug on my shirt. I looked down to see a little girl looking up at me. “Hi. You want to play dolls with me?” she asked. I looked over at Mama for reinforcement. She smiled and nodded. I turned back and said, “Sure.” Her tiny hand reached up and held mine, as if to comfort me.
My mom taught me a valuable lesson that summer. I returned to the shelter with her several times. During those visits, some of the children shared their troubled pasts with me and I learned to be grateful for what I had. Today as I strive to instill (逐渐灌输) these values in my own child, I reflect back to that experience. It was a time that I will never forget.
【小题1】The author admired her mom for ________.

A．her kindness to others	B．her excellent teaching
C．her quality of honesty	D．her positive attitude to life

【小题2】According to Paragraph 3, when she was asked to go out with her mom, the author was ________.

A．excited

B．angry

C．surprised

D．worried

【小题3】From the passage we learn most children in the shelter ________.

A．were often punished by staff	B．weren’t allowed to go outside
C．were once treated badly	D．all suffered from mental illness

【小题4】The underlined word “reinforcement” in the passage is closest in meaning to “________”.

A．truth

B．help

C．comfort

D．support

【小题5】What lesson did the author learn from her experience?

A．To value what you take for granted.	B．To play with children is fun.
C．To love others is to love yourself.	D．To do as what your parents do.

When I was seven years old my mom was diagnosed(诊断) with cancer. For this type of cancer the survival rate was low. My family was extremely upset and shocked. I was too young to understand. I had no idea that everyday with my mom had to be the absolute best because we didn’t know if it would be our last. I didn’t understand why everyone was suddenly taking time out of their busy lives to come over and sit on our couch.
The doctors told us my mom might survive with surgery(外科手术). But it could also kill her. She agreed to have it. The surgery was scheduled for the day after the Columbus Day. The day before the surgery I had off from school, and my mom planned the best day of my life. The day began with her waking me up saying, “Kate, I have a surprise for you. Come see.” The surprise was a doll I had wanted for the longest time. Throughout the day, she told me everything that she thought I would need to know to grow up and be a good person; she told me to be the best I could be and that I would always make her proud. The day was filled with laughter. For the first time in a long time I could see she was happy. Really happy.
The day passed and the next day, it was time for the surgery. There were no tears; I think I understood that I could lose my mom, because they did tell me she could die. We waited all day for news from the doctor. Everyone jumped when a door opened or anyone walked into the waiting room. Finally the doctor came in, and the news was what we had prayed (祈祷) for.
The experience that my family went through was truly a roller coaster. I will never forget that day together, and how her illness pulled our family closer. I understand now how lucky we were. I truly appreciate life and honor my mom for being so strong.
【小题1】After the author’s mother fell ill, people _____.

A．took turns to look after the author

B．tried to spend more time on their work

C．spared more time to stay with the mother

D．asked the doctors to operate on the mother at once

【小题2】It can be inferred that the author’s mother ______.

A．tried to show her love to her daughter before the operation

B．didn’t agree to have the operation

C．had always been happy before the operation

D．was very nervous the day before the operation

【小题3】What is the third paragraph mainly about?

A．How the doctors operated on the mother.

B．How the family prayed for the mother.

C．How the mother struggled against cancer.

D．How the family waited for the operation result.

【小题4】What does the author mean by the underlined sentence in the text?

A．Life is always full of hardships.

B．Life is full of both pain and happiness.

C．Life is always filled with pleasure.

D．Life is fair for everyone all the time.

Marie Curie was a Polish-born physicist and chemist and one of the most famous scientists of her time. Together with her husband Pierre, she won the Nobel Prize in 1903, and another one in 1911.
Marie Sklodowska was born in Warsaw on 7 November 1867, the daughter of a teacher. In 1891, she went to Paris to study physics and maths at the Sorbonne where she met Pierre Curie, professor of the School of Physics. They married in 1895.
The Curies worked together studying radioactivity(放射性), building on the work of the German physicist Roentgen and the French physicist Becquerel. In July 1898, the Curies announced the discovery of polonium(钋). At the end of the year, they announced the discovery of another, radium(镭). The Curies, along with Becquerel, won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1903.
Pierre’s life was cut short in 1906 when he was knocked down and killed by a carriage. Marie took over his teaching post, becoming the first woman to teach at the Sorbonne, and devoted (献身于) herself to continuing the work that they had begun together. She received a second Nobel Prize, for Chemistry, in 1911.
The Curies’ research was important in developing X-rays in surgery. During World WarⅠ, Marie helped fixed X-ray equipment, which she herself drove to the front lines. She helped train doctors for the International Red Cross.
Although she achieved much success, men scientists in France were still against Marie, and she never received any financial help from her work. By the late 1920s her health was beginning to become worse. She died on 4 July 1934 from her dangerous research. The Curies’ eldest daughter Irene was a scientist and winner of the Nobel Prize for Chemistry.
【小题1】All the following people contributed to Marie’s first Nobel Prize EXCEPT _____.

A．Irene

B．Pierre

C．Becquerel

D．Roentgen

【小题2】We can know from the text that Marie’s work______.

A．won her respect from men scientists

B．brought her some financial help

C．had a bad effect on her health

D．had no influence on her children

【小题3】Which is the right order of the following events?
①Marie became a teacher at the Sorbonne.
②Marie helped train doctors.
③The Curies discovered polonium.
④The Curies won the Nobel Prize for Physics.
⑤The Curies discovered radium.

A．①④⑤③②

B．③⑤④①②

C．⑤④①③②

D．②③⑤①④

【小题4】Which of the following about Marie is NOT true?

A．She married at the age of 28.

B．Her parent was a teacher.

C．She was the first woman teacher at the Sorbonne.

D．She helped the International Red Cross fix X-ray equipment.

Throughout his early years, Obama was known at home and at school as “Barry”. Obama’s parents met while both were attending the University of Hawaii at Manoa, where his father was enrolled(登记入读) as a foreign student. They separated when he was two years old and later divorced(离婚). His father received Master’s degree in Economics from Harvard University, then returned to Kenya, where he became a finance minister before dying in an automobile accident in 1982. His mother married another foreign student, Lolo Soetoro, and the family moved to Soetoro’s home country of Indonesia in 1967. Obama attended local schools in Jakarta, from age 6 to 10, where classes were taught in the Indonesian language.
During his time in Indonesia, he first attended St. Francis Assist Catholic school for almost three years. When Obama was in third grade he wrote an essay saying that he wanted to be president. His teacher later said that his reason for becoming president was that he wanted to make everybody happy.
Obama returned to Honolulu to live with his materal(母亲一方的) grandparents while attending Punahou School, a private college elementary school, from the fifth grade until his graduation in 1979. Obama’s mother, Ann, died of cancer a few months after the publication of his 1995 memoir(传记), Dreams from My Father.
In the memoir, Obama describes his experiences growing up in his mother’s middle class family. Of his early childhood, Obama writes, “That my father looked nothing like the people around me---that he was black as pitch(沥青), my mother white as milk .”
Some of his fellow students at Punahou School later told the Honolulu Star—Bulletin that Obama was mature(成熟的) for his age as a high school student and that he sometimes attended parties and other events in order to connect with       African American college students and military service people.
【小题1】When Obama was a child, _________.

A．people used to call him Berry

B．his father died of serious illness

C．his father became a finance minister of America

D．his parents attended Harvard University

【小题2】Which of the following is TURE about Lolo Soetoro?

A．He got college education in Indonesia

B．He is a person from Kenya in Africa

C．He is Obama’s stepfather and is a black

D．He is a foreign student in America

【小题3】Obama’s mother, Ann, died of cancer in about ________ while his father died in _________.

A．1982; 1967

B．1967; 1982

C．1979; 1967

D．1995; 1982

【小题4】Which of the following is NOT true?

A．Obama’s father was very black while his mother very white

B．Obama’s materal grandparents lived in Honolulu of Indonesia

C．Obama wanted to be president because he liked making people happy

D．Obama’s classmates thought he was mature for his age as a high school student

Animal experts in Croatia say a bear has learned how to trick people to let him in by knocking at the door.
They believe the 220- kilogram brown bear probably learned the trick while nudging (轻推) a door to get it to open.
Experts have a guess that the nudging was mistaken by the owners for knocking and that the bear, pleased by the result, repeated the trick.
The Loknar family from Gerovo in western Croatia said the bear had knocked at their door three times and they were now refusing to answer the door.
‘‘We jumped out of the window as he came in through the door and went into the kitchen to take some food for the first time.” Mum Nevenka Loknar told a reporter from a local newspaper. “I opened the door and saw him standing there and I didn’t believe my eyes at first, then I ran for it as he walked in as if it was the most normal- thing in the world.”
Bears are a common thing in the woods around here, but no one has ever heard of a bear that knocks at the door.
Mum Nevenka Loknar said, “The bear is so intelligent. It’s incredible. We’ve tried to put up lots of obstacles to stop him coming in, like a wire fence but he still gets through. I wouldn’t be surprised if he knew how to use wire cutters.”
【小题1】According to experts in Croatia, how did the bear learn the trick?

A．By knocking at the door several times.	B．By accident.
C．By learning from the owner of a family.	D．By imitation.

【小题2】What does the underlined word “it” in paragraph 5 refers to?

A．Eating at the kitchen.	B．Knocking at the door.
C．Walking into the house.	D．Answering the door.

【小题3】It is ________ in Gerovo that a bear knocks at the door.

A．unusual

B．a troubling problem

C．common

D．an exciting experience

【小题4】Mum Nevenka Loknar was surprised that the bear ________.

A．didn’t attack her family

B．knew how to use wire cutters

C．jumped across her wire fence three times

D．was clever at getting through the obstacles

Hobbs was an orphan(孤儿). He worked in a factory and every day he got a little money. Hard work made him thin and weak. He wanted to borrow a lot of money to learn to paint pictures, but he did not think he could pay off the debts.
One day a lawyer said to him, “One thousand dollars, and here is the money.” As Hobbs took the package of notes, he was very dumbfounded. He didn’t know where the money came from and how to spend it. He said to himself, “I could go to find a hotel and live like a rich man for a few days; or I give up my work in the factory and do what I’d like to do: painting pictures. I could do that for a few weeks, but what would I do after that? I should have lost my place in the factory and have no money to live on. If it were a little less money, I would buy a new coat, or a radio, or give a dinner to my friends. If it were more, I could give up the work and pay for painting pictures. But it’s too much for one and too little for the other.”
“Here is the reading of your uncle’s will(遗嘱),” said the lawyer, “telling what is to be done with this money after his death. I must ask you to remember one point. Your uncle has said you must bring me a paper showing exactly what you did with his money, as soon as you have spent it.”
“Yes, I see. I’ll do that,” said the young man.
【小题1】Hobbs wanted to borrow money to _____.

A．study abroad	B．work abroad
C．pay off the debts	D．learn to paint pictures

【小题2】What does the underlined word “dumbfounded”(in Paragraph 2) probably mean?

A．Surprised.

B．Frightened.

C．Satisfied.

D．Excited.

【小题3】With the money he got, at first Hobbs _____.

A．planned to have a happy life for a few days

B．decided to give up his work in the factory

C．was to give a dinner to his friends

D．had no idea what to do

【小题4】Hobbs was asked to _____.

A．tell the lawyer what he did with the money after spending it

B．read his uncle’s will

C．tell the lawyer what was to be done with the money

D．buy some pictures

“Good morning!” said a woman as she walked up to an old man sitting on the ground. The man slowly looked up. He was Jack, who had been begging around here for a couple of years.
“See that cafeteria（自助餐厅）over there?” she asked. “I’m going to get you something to eat and get you out of the cold for a while.”
She sat down at the table across from her amazed dinner guest. She stared at him intently. “Jack, do you remember me?” Old Jack thought hard and said, “I think so--I mean you do look familiar.”
“I was thin and hungry,” she said. “Maybe I’ve filled out now more than when you worked here. That was when I was just out of college. I had come to the city looking for a job, but I couldn’t find anything. Finally I was down to my last few cents and had been kicked out of my apartment. I walked in the streets for days, cold and hungry. I saw this place and walked in hoping that I could satisfy my hunger.”
Jack lit up with a smile. “Now I remember,” he said. “I was behind the serving counter. You came up and asked me if you could work for something to eat. I said it was against company’s policy.”
The woman continued, “Then you made me the biggest roast beef sandwich, gave me a cup of coffee, and told me to go over to a corner table and enjoy it. I was afraid that you would get into trouble. Then, I saw you put the price of my food in the cash register.”
“So you started your own business?” old Jack said. “I got a job that very afternoon. I worked my way up. Eventually I started my own business that, with the help of God, prospered.” She opened her purse and pulled out a business card. “When you are finished here, I want you to pay a visit to a Mr. Lyons, the personnel director of my company. He’ll find something for you to do around the office.” She smiled, “If you ever need anything, my door is always open to you.”
There were tears in the old man’s eyes, “How can I ever thank you?” he said. “Don’t thank me;” the woman answered, “thank yourself. It was your kindness that let me know you.”
【小题1】Why did the woman invite the beggar to dinner?

A．The beggar was once her friend.

B．She felt very pity for the beggar.

C．The beggar once offered her a free meal.

D．She once worked with the beggar.

【小题2】What does the underlined phrase “fill out” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?

A．wear a beautiful dress.	B．change one’s features.
C．have a very high position.	D．become larger or fatter.

【小题3】Years ago the woman walked into the place she caught sight of to __________.

A．find a job there	B．get herself out of cold
C．get something to eat	D．meet with the man

【小题4】What conclusion can you draw from this passage?

A．Kindness is an investment that never fails.

B．Nothing is difficult for the man who will try.

C．Don’t judge a person from his/her appearance.

D．God helps those who help themselves.

During my review for the medical boards, I gained 101 pounds in four months and promised to exercise when all of this was over. I successfully passed the medical boards and now I have to face the music.
One morning, I woke up and decided to go to a park to start working out. I got out of bed, washed my face, brushed my teeth and put on my sports shoes. Then I headed for the park. While going there, I decided to set a goal for myself, that, I had to finish 10 rounds before I went home.
Upon reaching the park, I joined the people in walking around the park. I was enjoying every step, breathing in fresh air, appreciating the green grass and looking at the dried leaves falling from the trees while listening to my iPod.
On my 5th round, I felt tired, hungry and thirsty. I thought of giving it up, going home and sleeping again. As the idea battled in my mind, I was reminded about the goal I had set just a while ago. I kept on walking and as I looked around, I saw myself in the midst of men and women much older than me who continued to move on. Some even suffered from a stroke(中风) that had difficulty walking, some took on small steps with a cane on hand and some took on pauses before they continued their walk but still they kept on walking.
Suddenly I realized that each of us has set our own goals in our lives, such as reaching a dream, building up a career, correcting a past mistake or starting a business. The process won’t be easy. We may encounter(遇到) a lot of difficulties and obstacles that may push us to just give up.
Amazed by the men and women whom I walked with that morning, I finished my goal in the end.
Let us be inspired with the people around us who experience the same or even a greater amount of difficulty but still don’t give up and continue until they reach their goals and now are savoring(享受) their success.
【小题1】What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 1 mean?

A．Now I don’t feel like listening to my iPod.

B．Now I have to care more about my health.

C．Now I have to take physical exercise.

D．Now it is time for me to listen to music.

【小题2】What did the author do on his way to the park?

A．He worked out a plan for his future.

B．He reflected on the causes of his overweight.

C．He decided to finish 10 rounds that morning.

D．He planned to take exercises every day.

【小题3】When the author was walking the 5th round _____.

A．he didn’t want to continue walking

B．he found it easy to keep his promise

C．he was enjoying walking in the park

D．he was too tired to keep up with others

【小题4】What inspired the author to finish 10 rounds that morning?

A．The goal he kept in mind.	B．His strong will to keep fit.
C．The good figure he wanted.	D．The people exercising in the park.

I studied engineering after enjoying top marks, as high school came relatively easy. Then university life came!
I thought that I must have some learning disorder, as it seemed that everyone else was absorbing the material and making progress while to me it was an insurmountable(不能克服的) struggle. There were never enough hours in the day and weekend to attend the lectures, study the lessons and then do the assignment.
During my darkest hour I called home to speak to my father: “Dad, I don’t think I can handle this.” My father then said something, which cut through me like a knife: “There is no returning home. If you quit, then you are on your own.”
I hung up thinking what a terrible heartless thing to say. Then, I determined to somehow gut it out(坚持到底). There seemed to be no other choices available! Soon afterwards, I noticed a sigh posted in a campus common area stating: “Studying Skills” with a place & time to meet. It said that “there is help available”. I attended that meeting! I soon discovered there were several others in a similar situation and that everyone wanted to help each other get through this challenging first term. I soon found a study partner, who helped me a lot, and I was grateful to him for his kind help.
Yes, it was still a very challenging first year, but I found the needed strength and support to get through it. In fact my father has been helping me since then, but he has done it in another way. I know now in my heart that he did the very best help he could to help me fly. Thanks Dad for the push!
【小题1】The story happened when the author _____.

A．just came to the new high school

B．was in his first term in university

C．was in the last year of high school

D．had been in the university for one year

【小题2】What was the author’s problem?

A．His father refused his request of returning home.

B．His father said some terrible words to him.

C．He found the course difficult to understand.

D．He could not understand his teachers.

【小题3】How did the author get through his challenge successfully?

A．He got help from his father in another way.

B．He changed the place and time for study.

C．He joined those who helped each other.

D．He paid more attention to study.

【小题4】Which of the following is the most suitable title for the text?

A．Differences between high school and university

B．My time in university

C．The importance of being strict with children

D．Push from my father