Last November, Nick heard a disorder at a party. A group of people had ____ outside, pointing at something floating in the Bay. As he ran to ____， he soon saw what was wrong: Two kids in a boat were caught in the ____ and being pulled out to sea.
Tim and Jack had climbed into a boat anchored nearby and had rowed out to ____ a football. Reaching beyond the calm waters,  the ____ fitted to the boat caught the wind and pulled it into open water. They tried to row back. But they were no ____ for the wind and turned around in circles. Nick dashed to the farthest of land. The boat was already just a ____ on the sea. He knew that the ____ boat would soon be overtaken by the huge waves, and that it was 2 degrees. Nick jumped into the ____ cold water. Every 90 yards, he raised his head to assess his ____. At one point, he considered turning back before managing to yell to them, “Take down the umbrella！”
Tim battled with the ropes holding the umbrella. Finally he loosened the ropes and ____ the umbrella. Then Nick caught up, but soon waves crashed over the boat, which began to sink. Nick ____ it would be faster to pull them toward the nearest bank. They ____ wore life jackets , which Nick held in one hand, swimming ____.“Are we there？” they asked repeatedly. “Yes，” Nick ____ them each time. It was 30 minutes before they got to the bank and stayed as close as possible for ____. Worn out, Nick had hardly arrived when he ____.It was an hour later when he found himself in a hospital that he came to. Asked what it took him to make the ____ move, he replied:
It is ____ to step out of the comfort zone. Being an onlooker is a cautious existence, but ____ we should never be stuck in. Stand by or stand up.

小题1:	A．played B．gathered C．laughed D．cried

小题2:	A．investigate B．find C．ask D．join

小题3:	A．sands B．rain C．waves D．sun

小题4:	A．kick B．borrow C．buy D．recover

小题5:	A．life jacket B．umbrella C．rope D．anchor

小题6:	A．match B．strength C．power D．force

小题7:	A．ball B．dot C．line D．light

小题8:	A．lost B．delicate C．old D．damaged

小题9:	A．bitterly B．absolutely C．fairly D．helplessly

小题10:

A．progress B．weather C．strength D．energy

小题11:

A．threw B．opened C．closed D．freed

小题12:

A．decided B．said C．declared D．recognized

小题13:

A．awkwardly B．carefully C．slowly D．easily

小题14:

A．hopefully B．cautiously C．continuously D．desperately

小题15:

A．told B．comforted C．discouraged D．supported

小题16:

A．food B．pleasure C．warmth D．help

小题17:

A．passed out B．passed away C．passed off D．passed by

小题18:

A．warm B．generous C．proud D．brave

小题19:

A．easy B．tough C．interesting D．dull

小题20:

A．which B．that C．one D．it

The Great Barn Adventure
One morning when I was 11, I explored the town's abandoned round grain barn(谷仓). I found a chained sliding door that was wide enough for me to pass through.
Inside, there was a heavy smell of dead mice in the dark. After my eyes adjusted, I noticed a shaft (升降机井) that rose all the way to the top of the barn. On one side was a one­man elevator with a long rope and roller.
I stepped onto the platform and gave the rope a drag and the elevator began sliding up the shaft, but stopped halfway. After a brief panic attack, I noticed holes in the wall at regular intervals, forming a ladder. For reasons known only to an 11­year­old, I decided it would be better to go up than down. So, with shaking hands, I began climbing the wall.
After what seemed like forever, I reached the top of the shaft. I stood up, dusted myself off and found…absolutely nothing of interest. It was just an empty room with a ladder leading up to the roof. I climbed all the way up here for this? Then I noticed a fire extinguisher(灭火器)，which I'd always wanted to shoot off. So this was the chance of a lifetime. I tried it, and, much to my surprise, the thing worked! It shot out a thick cloud of powder that instantly filled the room. I couldn't breathe. I was going to choke to death, and they'd probably never even find my body.
Luckily, I remembered the ladder to the roof. I climbed up, popped the straw roof and saw a bright blue sky.
I suddenly realized the dust and powder pouring out of the top could draw attention. So when the dust had settled, I climbed down and slipped out of the chained door. I'm not sure if I was more excited about being alive or about not being caught, but I ran all the way back home.
小题1:When the author got inside the barn, he ________.

A．noticed a man on the elevator

B．opened the chained sliding door

C．saw many dead mice in the dark

D．found a shaft leading to the top

小题2:Which of the following is the right order of the author's adventure?
a. The elevator stopped halfway.
b. He entered the round grain barn.
c. He climbed to the top of the shaft.
d. He found a fire extinguisher and shot it off.

A．b－a－c－d	B．a－c－b－d
C．c－a－d－b	D．b－c－a－d

小题3:After getting out of the chained door, the author might feel ________.

A．inspired	B．relieved
C．surprised	D．disappointed

While the presence of rats in homes may cause anxiety and annoyance, they rarely result in driving out the residents. But that is exactly what happened to the inhabitants of the 10­square­mile Hawadax Island off the coast of Alaska, almost 230 years ago. Now thanks to a five­year effort by scientists, the terribly silent “Rat Island” as it had been called for many years has been returned to its rightful owners ——birds!
Hawadax Island is part of a chain of volcanic islands in the Bering Sea called the Aleutian Islands. The rats that arrived there in 1780, when a Japanese ship carrying them broke down nearby, completely destroyed the native population because the environment of the island was not built to defend its animals from these predators. There isn't any tree on the Island, which meant that the birds were accustomed to building their nests low in the ground, giving the rodents(啮齿动物) easy access to both eggs and baby chicks. As years passed, the birds that had called the island home for thousands of years became endangered and eventually, disappeared completely.
In 2007, the U．S. FWS (Fish and Wildlife Service) started a serious plan to rid the island of the rats and try bringing back the beautiful birds that had once called it home. Given that there were an estimated 10,000 rodents inhabiting “Rat Island” and the fact that they re­produce rapidly, it was not an easy task. But by 2009, the Island was officially declared rat free!
Then slowly but surely, the birds began to return. Unfortunately, some of the pioneers were unintentionally killed from the leavings of the raticide, a poison that had been used to wipe out the rodents. But now it seems things are becoming more stable and the Island is starting to increasingly look like its former self. Before the transformation, “Hawadax”， also known as “Rat Island”， was a silent and ghostly place with bird bones, snail remains and rocks covered in rat feces(粪便)．
Today, birds' singing and flying in and out is a common sight. Tufted puffins and song sparrows, which had long disappeared, are gradually making their way back. Scientists have also been observing an increase in ground nesting and shorebirds. Though the Island is still not back to its full glory, the signs are encouraging and things can only get better, as time passes.
小题1:The underlined word “that”in Para.1 probably refers to ________.

A．the presence of rats

B．birds' being driven out

C．birds' returning to the island

D．residents' worrying about rats

小题2:Birds on Hawadax Island became an easy target because ________.

A．this island was treeless

B．they nested randomly

C．they reproduced too rapidly

D．their chicks were extremely weak

小题3:From the passage, we can know the plan of US FWS ______.

A．has helped the island fully recovered

B．cost little but benefited greatly

C．involved poisoning the rats on a large scale

D．accomplished its goal after exactly 24 months

小题4:Which would be the best title for the passage?

A．FWS Help Get Rare Birds Back to Alaska Island

B．Japanese Changed a Bird Paradise into Rat Island

C．FWS Plan to Drive Rats Out Of Rat Island

D．Alaska's Rat Island Returns to a Bird Paradise

My father and I disagreed about curfew (晚间在家的时间). He'd say I was to be in by 9：30 on weekdays, and 11：00 on weekends, no exceptions without my first asking. I told him it made me ____ like a junior­high kid. He explained that while a curfew ____ sound like a restriction, it's really about people looking out for one another.
The very next Friday after that pretty heated ___， my dad and I had tickets to see our town's professional football game. On that day he was ____ to a nearby city to meet with some major clients and ____ me that his getting home and our leaving for the game would be tight.
To make sure we could ____ off the moment he walked in, I got everything prepared. When a half hour had passed from the time he said he'd be home, I understood that he was a little ____. But then, nearly a whole hour passed. I was getting ____. We were going to miss the kick­off! And why hadn't he ____ me and let me know he was going to be really late? As I anxiously ____ the floor, another half hour passed. That's when I got really angry. How inconsiderate of my father! Now we were going to ____ the whole game! When yet another half hour passed, my anger turned to ____. What if something terrible had happened to my dad, like he had a heart attack or had been in an accident, or something? I began to really ____. I'd already called his cellphone about ten times, but no ____.
I was beside myself, assuming the worst had happened.
Finally, the phone rang, and my dad said ____， “Son, I'm so sorry about the game, but…there was a terrible accident…on the freeway coming home, and I ____ to help… and ended up going to the hospital. I ____ my cellphone in the car, so I couldn't call until now.”
I was so relieved to hear from my father and to ____ that he was safe that I actually cried. That was ____ I “got” the importance of a curfew: Checking in! It's about knowing that someone you love is ____. It was one more proof of my father's loving me as much as he does.

小题1:	A．go B．feel C．turn D．grow

小题2:	A．might B．must C．needed D．should

小题3:	A．speech B．match C．description D．exchange

小题4:．

A．cycling	B．driving
C．flying	D．walking

小题5:	A．allowed B．advised C．informed D．ordered

小题6:	A．pay B．hold C．cut D．move

小题7:	A．late B．lazy C．forgetful D．careless

小题8:	A．upset B．sorry C．rude D．puzzled

小题9:	A．warned B．signalled C．phoned D．showed

小题10:

A．hit B．paced C．cleared D．measured

小题11:

A．play B．watch C．miss D．start

小题12:

A．sadness B．surprise C．doubt D．fear

小题13:．

A．envy	B．worry
C．regret	D．cry

小题14:

A．excuse B．way C．time D．answer

小题15:

A．strangely B．casually C．breathlessly D．angrily

小题16:

A．stopped B．forgot C．failed D．refused

小题17:

A．left B．lost C．saw D．got

小题18:

A．wonder B．guess C．expect D．learn

小题19:

A．what B．when C．whether D．why

小题20:

A．confident B．great C．safe D．honest

The stars have come together for the 2014 QUT Classic fun run on Sunday, May 4! This year's fun run around central Brisbane not only promises a fantastic family day out--it also happens to be International Star Wars Day.
Hundreds of serious一and not so serious一participants will contest a choice of scenic l km , 5km or l0km routes around QUT (Queensland University of Technology), South Bank and the CBD on Sunday, May 4.
May 4 has become Star Wars Day for fans around the globe一the date being chosen as a play on "May the Force (fourth) be with you"
To celebrate, Yoda will make a special guest appearance at the QUT Classic at 7:20am to help kids warm up for the l km event while the Indie Chamber Orchestra does a live performance of the Star Wars theme. The special visit has been organized by Healthstream QUT, who operate the university's pools and gyms.
Classic organizer Cheryl Goodwin from QUT Student Engagement said the second annual event would also be combined with a buskers(街头艺人)festival, ensuring plenty of entertainment around Gardens Point and along the route.
"The Classic Buskers Festival is being organized by the QUT Music Society and will Feature some of Brisbane’s best buskers and bands as well as QUT talent．There's going to be a mix of music，dance，circus and comedy．"she said．
The QUT Classic will also raise funds for QUT’s Learning Potential Fund，which provides scholarships for low income students．About 1200 people registered for last year’s event and organizers are hoping for a similar--if not bigger-turnout in 2014．
The race will begin and end at QUT Gardens Point，where breakfast will be available for purchase．Both the 5km and 1 0km events will begin at 8：00 am，with the l km event starting at 7：30 am．
QUT Classic registration costs$25 for the l km event，$30 for 5km and$35 for 10km．
People can register as individuals or in teams．One of the biggest teams is expected to be the Learning Potential Fund team，which is open to QUT staff ,students and the general public．
Participants who register before 30 April will receive a race pack．The first 1 000 participants will also receive a free 1imited edition QUT Classic T-shirt．
QUT Running is offering all registrants free training sessions in the six weeks leading up to this event．
For more information on the QUT Classic，contact Cheryl Goodwin on 07 3138 9447 orc.goodwin@qut.edu.au．
Media contact：Mechelle McMahon，QUT media，media@qut.edu.au
小题1:The purpose of the passage is to introduce______.

A．a fun run around central Brisbane

B．an international Star Wars Day

C．a buskers festival in QUT

D．QUT’s learning Potential Fund

小题2:According to the 3rd paragraph，May 4_____.

A．plays an important part in Star Wars Day

B．can be understood in different ways when read

C．used to be a festival for fans around the world

D．means the same as“May the Force be with you”

小题3:Which of the following will be free for all the participants?

A．Breakfast．

B．A race pack．

C．T-shirt．

D．Training session．

小题4:If you want to know more about QUT Classic，you can contact        .

A．Healthstream QUT	B．Cheryl Goodwin
C．QUT Music Society	D．Mechelle

JANE AUSTEN(1775—1817)is often regarded as the greatest of English women novelists on the strength of her six completed novels．Known particularly for their social comedy and accurate description of human relationships，they are still as widely read today as they have ever been．
The seventh child of a country priest(牧师)，Jane Austen was born on 16 December 1775 at Steventon in Hampshire．Her father ,the Reverend George Austen，was an intelligent and sensitive man who encouraged Jane in her love of reading．From an early age she was familiar with the works of Henry Fielding，Sir Walter Scott，Richardson，Frances Burney and the poet George Crabbe．Her early attempts at writing include burlesques(滑稽作品)of popular romances．When her father retired in 1801 the family moved to Bath，which was later to feature in her novel Northanger Abbey(published in 1818)．After his death in 1805 the family moved first to Southampton and then in 1809 to Chawton in Hampshire．where Jane Austen is known to have written her last three novels：Mansfield Park(1814)，Emma(1816)and Persuasion(also published in 1818)．Although her other novels were written much earlier ,it was not until 1811 that Sense and Sensibility was first published．Pride and Prejudice，which followed in1813,features Jane Austen’own favourite hero，Elizabeth Bennet．
Surrounded by her lively and warm family and wholly buried herself in her writing and housework，Jane Austen led a life often known for its lack of events．She did，however ,attract several admirers and even accepted a proposal of marriage from one admirer-only to change her mind the following morning．Jane Austen’s independent life often seems reflected in her novels，which seem to display the world in miniature(缩影)．Sir Walter Scott praised Jane Austen for‘that unique touch which makes ordinary commonplace things and characters interesting’，while Somerset Maugham claimed that she had at her command ‘the most precious gift a novelist can possess’s that of keeping the reader’s interest．Jane Austen died in 1817．
小题1:The underlined word“touch” in the third paragraph is closest in meaning to      

A．style

B．contact

C．taste

D．attitude

小题2:Which of Jane Austen’s novels were published after her death?

A．Northanger Abbey and Mansfield Park．

B．Northanger Abbey and Persuasion．

C．Pride and Prejudice and Emma．

D．Sense and Sensibility and Persuasion．

小题3:We can infer from the passage that Jane Austen had a gift for     

A．attracting admirers

B．reflecting her own life in all her novels

C．making dull things and characters interesting

D．holding the readers’ interest

小题4:This passage is most probably a      

A．collection of women novelists and their works

B．comment on Jane Austen and her works

C．brief introduction of Jane Austen

D．description of Jane Austen’s road to success

The first day at school has left a deep ___ on me.I'll never forget it.
As soon as I rushed into the classroom，the bell rang.A young beautiful woman came in，but she was ____，no smile on her face.“You are not permitted to ____ me in the course of class unless...”She was speaking when I heard a____“Lily，Lily”from outside the door.My grandmother was standing there with a pair of socks in her hand.I didn't realize I was bare feet____ then.I wanted to ____ them.but I dared not do that.I shook my hand，____“Don't wait here any longer.Leave quickly.”As I did so，I still ____my eyes on my teacher.I really didn't want her to take ____ of me，but she did.She went out to get the socks.When she gave them to me，she looked at me for a while.My face suddenly turned ____ and my heart ____ faster.I began to put the socks on.Unfortunately I was so nervous that my ____ hands couldn't get them onto my feet easily.Just then I heard my name called.I ____ from my seat quickly.“Can you ____the numbers from one to one hundred？” the teacher asked.I nodded. ____her surprise，I did very well.Finally she said，“Be ___， please.Study hard.”I looked ____ her to find a smile on her face.I felt ____ at last.
The first day at school has stayed in my ____ as something embarrassing(尴尬)but ___.

小题1:	A．memory B．impression C．imagination D．feeling

小题2:	A．modern B．humorous C．gentle D．serious

小题3:	A．trouble B．question C．interrupt D．excuse

小题4:	A．voice B．sound C．noise D．word

小题5:	A．before B．after C．just D．until

小题6:	A．get B．throw C．accept D．wear

小题7:	A．saying B．meaning C．crying D．shouting

小题8:	A．fixed B．laid C．opened D．shut

小题9:	A．care B．interest C．attention D．notice

小题10:

A．pale B．white C．red D．black

小题11:

A．beat B．jumped C．struck D．felt

小题12:

A．small B．dirty C．shaking D．own

小题13:

A．rose B．raised C．stand up D．jumped

小题14:

A．add B．count C．recognize D．write

小题15:

A．With B．For C．To D．Great to

小题16:

A．careful B．sitting C．quiet D．seated

小题17:

A．up at B．over C．around D．through

小题18:

A．sorry B．relaxed C．disappointed D．puzzled

小题19:

A．body B．classroom C．memory D．heart

小题20:

A．strange B．sweet C．bad D．terrible

When I entered Berkeley，I hoped to earn a scholarship.Having been a Straight­A student，I believed I could ____tough subjects and really learn something.One such course was World Literature given by Professor Jayne.I was extremely interested in the ideas he ____in class.
When I took the first exam，I was ____ to find a 77，C­plus，on my test paper，____ English was my best subject.I went to Professor Jayne, who listened to my arguments but remained  ____.
I decided to try harder.Although I didn't know what that ____because school had always been easy for me.I read the books more carefully，but got another 77.Again，I ____with Professor Jayne.Again，he listened patiently but wouldn't change his ___.
One more test before the final exam.One more ____ to improve my grade.So I redoubled my efforts and，for the first time, ____the meaning of the word “thorough”．But my ___ did no good and everything ___ as before
The 1ast hurdle(障碍)was the final.No matter what ____ I got，it wouldn't cancel three C­pluses.I might as well kiss the ____ goodbye.
I stopped working hard.I felt I knew the course material as well as I ever would.The night before the final，I even ____ myself to a movie.The next day I decided for once I'd have ____ with a test.
A week later，I was surprised to find I got an A．I hurried into Professor Jayne's office.He  ______to be expecting me.“If I gave you the As you ____，you wouldn't continue to work as hard.”
I stared at him，____ that his analysis and strategy(策略)were correct.I had worked my head  ____，as I had never done before.
I was speechless when my course grade arrived：A­plus.It was the only A­plus given.The next year I received my scholarship.I've always remembered Professor Jayne's lesson：you alone must set your own standard of excellence.

小题1:	A．take B．discuss C．cover D．get

小题2:	A．sought B．presented C．exchanged D．obtained

小题3:	A．shocked B．worried C．scared D．anxious

小题4:	A．but B．so C．for D．or

小题5:	A．unchanged B．unpleasant C．unfriendly D．unmoved

小题6:	A．reflected B．meant C．improved D．affected

小题7:	A．quarreled B．reasoned C．bargained D．chatted

小题8:	A．attitude B．mind C．plan D．view

小题9:	A．choice B．step C．chance D．measure

小题10:

A．memorized B．considered C．accepted D．learned

小题11:

A．ambition B．confidence C．effort D．method

小题12:

A．stayed B．went C．worked D．changed

小题13:

A．grade B．answer C．lesson D．comment

小题14:

A．scholarship B．course C．degree D．subject

小题15:

A．helped B．favored C．treated D．relaxed

小题16:

A．fun B．luck C．problems D．tricks

小题17:

A．happened B．proved C．pretended D．seemed

小题18:

A．valued B．imagined C．expected D．welcomed

小题19:

A．remembering B．guessing C．supposing D．realizing

小题20:

A．out B．over C．on D．off

Tim Richter and his wife, Linda, had taught for over 30 years near Buffalo, New York—he in computers, she in special education.“Teaching means everything to us，” Tim would say. In April 1998, he learned he would need a heart operation. It was the kind of news that leads to some serious thinking about life's purpose.
Not long after the surgery, Tim saw a brochure describing Imagination Library, a program started by Dolly Parton's foundation (基金会) that mailed a book every month to children from birth to age five in the singer's home town of Sevier, Tennessee. “I thought, maybe Linda and I could do something like this when we retire，”Tim recalls.  He placed the brochure on his desk，“as a reminder.”
Five years later, now retired and with that brochure still on the desk, Tim clicked on imagination library .com. The program had been opened up to partners who could take advantage of book and postage discounts.
The quality of the books was of great concern to the Richters. Rather than sign up online, they went to Dollywood for a look­see. “We didn't want to give the children rubbish，” says Linda. The books reviewed each year by teachers, literacy specialists and Dollywood board members included classics such as Ezra Jack Keats's The Snowy Day and newer books like Anna Dewdney's Llama Llama series.
Satisfied, the couple set up the Richter Family Foundation and got to work. Since 2004, they have shipped more than 12,200 books to preschoolers in their area. Megan Williams, a mother of four, is more than appreciative: “This program introduces us to books I've never heard of .”
The Richters spend about $400 a month sending books to 200 children. “Some people sit there and wait to die，” says Tim. “Others get as busy as they can in the time they have left.”
小题1:What let Tim think seriously about the meaning of life?

A．His health problem.	B．His love for teaching.
C．The influence of his wife.	D．The news from the Web.

小题2:What did Tim want to do after learning about Imagination Library?

A．Give out brochures.	B．Do something similar.
C．Write books for children.	D．Retire from being a teacher.

小题3:According to the text，Dolly Parton is________.

A．a well­known surgeon	B．a mother of a four­year­old
C．a singer born in Tennessee	D．a computer programmer

小题4:Why did the Richters go to Dollywood?

A．To avoid signing up online.

B．To meet Dollywood board members.

C．To make sure the books were the newest.

D．To see if the books were of good quality.

The young woman entered the pool where an injured dolphin(海豚) was swimming.Despite her fear, she felt strong wearing her new leg.
In her second grade.Maja ____ her cousin，Jasmina.After Jasmina's death，Maja swore she would honor the little girl by ___ with a dolphin, an animal that both girls ____. “ Jasmina never got the chance to do it.” says Maja, now 32, “so I  ____ that someday I'd do it for her.”
In high school, Maja was ____ about sports.She even planned to become an athlete.____， in 1993, during the civil war in her home country, a bomb ____ her left leg.
After two years' ____  in the U．S.,  Maja received her first artificial (人造的)leg, but  ____ it didn't fit well, walking for Maja was very painful. ____， she managed to graduate from a local high school.Then after receiving a ____  from Saint Francis University, she got a job at an insurance firm and ____ started her own company.
To relax, Maja ____ often watch the dolphins play at an aquarium(水族馆)near her home.A young dolphin, Winter, who had lost its tail, caught her ____. One day, Maja happened to see trainers ____ Winter with a high­tech tail.When they were done, Winter swam freely in the water.Maja was ____.She managed to find the inventors of Winter's tail.Within ten days, she had a new leg which freed her of the ____ that had troubled her for almost 16 years.
Now Maja was ready to keep her ____.She went to the aquarium, lowered herself into the pool and held out a hand to Winter, who approached ____， then swam away.After a few minutes, the dolphin let Maja ____ its back. Finally, the two began to swim around the pool together.

小题1:	A．lost B．visited C．rescued D．left

小题2:	A．talking B．living C．swimming D．surfing

小题3:	A．adored B．adopted C．possessed D．purchased

小题4:	A．pretended B．decided C．preferred D．agreed

小题5:	A．positive B．enthusiastic C．particular D．curious

小题6:	A．Undoubtedly B．Surprisingly C．Strangely D．Unfortunately

小题7:	A．took away B．took over C．cut down D．cut out

小题8:	A．study B．operation C．treatment D．experiment

小题9:	A．until B．because C．although D．if

小题10:

A．Otherwise B．Therefore C．Besides D．However

小题11:

A．scholarship B．degree C．prize D．notice

小题12:

A．gradually B．actually C．eventually D．naturally

小题13:

A．might B．should C．could D．would

小题14:

A．eye B．leg C．nose D．hand

小题15:

A．decorating B．guiding C．marking D．fitting

小题16:

A．inspired B．puzzled C．shocked D．amused

小题17:

A．worry B．sadness C．pain D．fear

小题18:

A．appointment B．promise C．record D．habit

小题19:

A．blindly B．angrily C．gratefully D．cautiously

小题20:

A．strike B．cover C．touch D．wipe