On June 15th，2012，millions of people watched as 33­year­old Nik Wallenda walked across one of the world's greatest waterfalls on a tightrope(钢丝)．What made the 25－minute walk that was televised live and watched by over 13 million people worldwide even more amazing，is that it was done over the Niagara Falls－An action that had never been attempted before.
Even though Nik was wearing a harness(保护带)，a safety measure provided by ABC，the television network that broadcast the event，his action to keep his balance against the strong winds made for some heart－stopping(令人担忧的) moments for the audience.
Nik，however，never slowed down for even one moment.Wearing special shoes made by his mother，he remained totally focused on the job at hand.It was only when he got to the last stretch near Canada's Table Rock that he knelt down on one knee and finally broke into a smile.Waving and blowing kisses to the cheering audience，he knew he had accomplished a great task，which most people had thought impossible.
While he described the whole experience as peaceful and relaxing，Nik said his biggest challenges came from a totally unexpected source－his 40 pound balancing pole.The balancing pole was so heavy that he could hardly carry it on the tightrope.
One would think that now that Nik has realized his lifelong dream he would be ready to hang up his “balancing pole”．However，the adventurer who already has seven Guinness World Records under his belt，is just getting started－Next up? A 5，000－foot tightrope walk across the Grand Canyon.While the one across the Niagara Falls took years of planning because he had to convince the US and Canadian officials，this one should happen in the very near future.That's because，the Florida resident has already been granted(授予) a permit by the Canyon officials.
小题1:Why did so many people fix their attention on the event?
A．Because it was done by Nik Wallenda.
B．Because nobody had done it there before.
C．Because it was broadcast live by ABC.
D．Because it was impossible to do the event.
小题2:What made the audience hold their breath during Nik's performance?

A．How Nik managed to cross the Niagara Falls with safety measure.

B．What Nik would do when he lost his balance on the tightrope.

C．How Nik kept his balance against the strong winds.

D．How long Nik will take to finish the event.

小题3:What was the greatest difficulty for him to face in Nik view?

A．The supplied tightrope.

B．The safety belt.

C．The balancing pole.

D．The audience's noise.

小题4:What does the last paragraph mainly talk about?

A．Nik will go on with his dream.

B．Nik's life dream is changing.

C．Permission of governments is important.

D．The Grand Canyon is a dream for Nik.

A nameless British millionaire is currently putting people to the test by handing out ￡1，000 to those he randomly meets in the street.All he'd ask is that they'd do something positive with the cash.The reactions are varied，from the surprised to the suspicious to the simply delighted.He has given away close to ￡100，000 to people he has met around the world.He hands those that he chooses a card explaining his project and allows them 48 hours to get in touch.
“Mr.Lucky” is from London，in his late thirties and appears wearing rolled－up jeans and with a camera around his neck.Working for an insurance company abroad，he earned his fortune and resigned last year after having realized he had more money than he knew what to do with.
“I once booked myself a flight into space；I thought I'd fulfill my childhood dream.Then I told my friends and when the conversation changed to what they would do if they had that amount of money，I felt embarrassed.Their ideas were much more generous，interesting and responsible than mine，” said Mr.Lucky.After canceling his space flight and struggling to choose a worthy cause for his cash，he decided to set up the WeAreLucky project.“I didn't want to just pass on my luck；I also wanted to share the responsibility.I decided to give away ￡1，000 every day.I'd asked the receivers to fill in a brief questionnaire to explain their intentions in using the money.”
But is handing over the responsibility to others really a responsible thing to do? How does he know the money will be used properly? “I'm not going to judge or start checking up on them.Sometimes what we need to do is just believing others，” he said with nearly child­like enthusiasm.
小题1:How do people feel when offered ￡1，000 by “Mr.Lucky”？

A．Shocked.	B．Cheerful.
C．Embarrassed.	D．Stressful.

小题2:How did Mr.Lucky get so much money？

A．Flying into space.

B．Giving out some questionnaires to people.

C．Setting up a web site.

D．Working in an insurance company.

小题3:Which conclusion can be drawn from the third paragraph?

A．What Mr.Lucky dreamed in his teens is to fly into space.

B．What Mr.Lucky wants to do is to pass on his fortune.

C．Why Mr.Lucky decided to set up the WeAreLucky.

D．Why Mr.Lucky changed the way he spent money.

小题4:Why did Mr.Lucky hand out his money?

A．He was easy－going and rich.

B．He wanted to help the poor.

C．He believed people could use it properly.

D．He needed people to share his responsibility.

The breaking news of Mo Yan's Nobel Prize in Literature on Thursday evening soon aroused public curiosity of the 57­year­old Chinese writer: Why was it him that was favored by the Swedish Academy?
Born in 1955 into a rural family，Mo dropped out of school and became a farmer when he was a teenager.He joined the military and devoted himself to writing after the Cultural Revolution (1966－1976)．
Less than half an hour after the announcement，Mo's works turned to sold­out status at China's major online book sellers.One lucky buyer wrote in an online comment: “Rushed to purchase，but to my shame，I have not read any of his novels.”
Although Mo was entitled one of the top domestic literature awards before the Nobel Prize，he is not the most popular novelist in China，in either the book market or in reputation.
Mo's novel “Big Breasts & Wide Hips，” translated by Howard Goldblatt，tells a story of a mother who struggled and suffered hardship and intertwined fates with Chinese people in the 20th century.His more recent work “Frog” more directly criticized China's one­child family policy，which helped control the country's population explosion but also brought tragedies to rural residents in the past 60 years.
“I think the reason why I could win the prize is because my works present lives with unique Chinese characteristics，and they also tell stories from a viewpoint of common human beings，which is above differences of nations and races，” Mo said on Thursday evening to Chinese journalists.Mo also said many folk arts originated from his hometown，such as clay sculpture，paper cuts，traditional new year paintings，have inspired and influenced his novels.
With more Chinese writers like Mo，the world could learn a more real China.Perhaps，this is another reason for the Swedish Academy's choice.
小题1:What can we conclude from the second paragraph?

A．Mo's life experiences.	B．Mo's family life.
C．Mo devoted himself to writing.	D．Mo had a gift for writing.

小题2:What can we infer from the passage?

A．Mo didn't got any national awards before he won the Nobel Prize.

B．Mo was the top novelist in China before he won the Nobel Prize.

C．Mo's novels have attracted many people to read.

D．Mo's novels are all based on his daily life.

小题3:Which of the following have no effect on Mo's novels according to the passage?

A．Clay sculpture.	B．Paper cuts.
C．Folk arts.	D．Beijing opera.

小题4:According to the passage，we know that________．

A．Big Breasts & Wide Hips' leading role is one happy mother

B．Big Breasts & Wide Hips criticized China's one­child family policy

C．Frog came out earlier than Big Breasts & Wide Hips

D．Frog shows benefit as well as shortcoming of one China's policy

(2013·高考北京卷，B)Two dolphins race around in a big pool in the Ocean Park.The smaller dolphin，Grace，shows off a few of her tricks，turning around and waving hello to the crowd.The most amazing thing about her，however，is that she’s even swimming at all.She doesn’t have a tail.

Grace lost her tail as a baby when she got caught up in a fish trap.When the dolphin arrived at the Ocean Park in December 2005，she was fighting for her life.“Is she going to make it？”Her trainer，Abbey Stone，feared the worst.Grace did make it—but her tail didn’t.She ended up losing her flukes and the lower part of her peduncle.
Over the past six years，she has learned to swim without her tail.Dolphins swim by moving their flukes and peduncle up and down.Grace taught herself to move another way—like a fish! She pushed herself forward through the water by moving her peduncle from side to side.
The movements put harmful pressure on Grace’s backbone.So a company offered to create a man­made tail for her.The tail had to be strong enough to stay on Grace as she swam but soft enough that it wouldn’t hurt her.
The first time Grace wore the artificial tail，she soon shook it off and let it sink to the bottom of the pool.Now，she is still learning to use the tail.Some days she wears it for an hour at a time，others not at all.“The new tail isn’t necessary for her to feel comfortable，”says Stone，“but it helps to keep that range of motion (动作) and build muscles (肌肉)．”
Now，the dolphin is about to get an even happier ending.This month，Grace will star in Dolphin Tale，a film that focuses on her rescue and recovery.Her progress has inspired more than just a new movie.Many people travel from near and far to meet her.Seeing Grace swim with her man­made tail gives people so much courage.
小题1:When Grace first arrived at the Ocean Park，her trainer worried about her________.

A．physical build

B．potential ability

C．chance of survival

D．adaptation to the surroundings.

小题2:A man­made tail is created for Grace to________.

A．let her recover faster

B．make her comfortable

C．adjust her way of swimming

D．help her perform better tricks

小题3:The story of Grace inspires people to________.

A．stick to their dreams

B．treat animals friendly

C．treasure what they have

D．face difficulties bravely

(2013·高考重庆卷，A)The morning had been a disaster.My tooth was aching，and I’d been in an argument with a friend.Her words still hurt：“The trouble with you is that you won’t put yourself in my place.Can’t you see things from my point of view？”I shook my head stubbornly－and felt the ache in my tooth.I’d thought I could hold out till my dentist came back from holiday，but the pain was really unbearable.I started calling the dentists in the phone book，but no one could see me immediately.Finally，at about lunchtime，I got lucky.
“If you come by right now，”the receptionist said，“the dentist will fit you in.”
I took my purse and keys and rushed to my car.But suddenly I began to doubt about the dentist.What kind of dentist would be so eager to treat someone at such short notice？Why wasn’t he as busy as the others?
In the dentist’s office，I sat down and looked around.I saw nothing but the bare walls and I became even more worried.The assistant noticed my nervousness and placed her warm hand over my ice­cold one.
When I told her my fears，she laughed and said，“Don’t worry.The dentist is very good.”
“How long do I have to wait for him？”I asked impatiently.
“Come on，he is coming.Just lie down and relax.And enjoy the artwork，”the assistant said.
“The artwork？”I was puzzled.
The chair went back.Suddenly I smiled.There was a beautiful picture，right where I could enjoy it：on the ceiling.How considerate the dentist was！At that moment，I began to understand what my friend meant by her words.
What a relief!
小题1:Which of the following best describes the author’s feeling that morning?

A．Cheerful.	B．Nervous.
C．Satisfied.	D．Upset.

小题2:What made the author begin to doubt about the dentist?

A．The dentist’s agreeing to treat her at very short notice.

B．The dentist’s being as busy as the other dentists.

C．The surroundings of the dentist’s office.

D．The laughing assistant of the dentist.

小题3:Why did the author suddenly smile?

A．Because the dentist came at last.

B．Because she saw a picture on the ceiling.

C．Because she could relax in the chair.

D．Because the assistant kept comforting her.

小题4:What did the author learn from her experience most probably?

A．Strike while the iron is hot.

B．Have a good word for one’s friend.

C．Put oneself in other’s shoes.

D．A friend in need is a friend indeed.

(2013·高考山东卷，A)Jimmy is an automotive mechanic，but he lost his job a few months ago.He has a good heart，but always feared applying for a new job.
One day，he gathered up all his strength and decided to attend a job interview.His appointment was at 10 am and it was already 8：30.While waiting for a bus to the office where he was supposed to be interviewed，he saw an elderly man wildly kicking the tyre of his car.Obviously there was something wrong with the car.Jimmy immediately went up to lend him a hand.When Jimmy finished working on the car，the old man asked him how much he should pay for the service.Jimmy said there was no need to pay him；he just helped someone in need，and he had to rush for an interview.Then the old man said，“Well，I could take you to the office for your interview.It’s the least I could do.Please，I insist.”Jimmy agreed.
Upon arrival，Jimmy found a long line of applicants waiting to be interviewed.Jimmy still had some grease on him after the car repair，but he did not have much time to wash it off or have a change of shirt.One by one，the applicants left the interviewer’s office with disappointed looks on their faces.Finally his name was called.The interviewer was sitting on a large chair facing the office window.Rocking the chair back and forth，he asked，“Do you really need to be interviewed？”Jimmy’s heart sank.“With the way I look now，how could I possibly pass this interview？”he thought to himself.
Then the interviewer turned the chair and to Jimmy’s surprise，it was the old man he helped earlier in the morning.It turned out he was the General Manager of the company.
“Sorry I had to keep you waiting，but I was pretty sure I made the right decision to have you as part of our workforce before you even stepped into this office.I just know you’d be a trustworthy worker.Congratulations！”Jimmy sat down and they shared a cup of well­deserved coffee as he landed himself a new job.
小题1:Why did Jimmy apply for a new job?

A．He was out of work.

B．He was bored with his job.

C．He wanted a higher position.

D．He hoped to find a better boss.

小题2:What did Jimmy see on the way to the interview?

A．A friend’s car had a flat tyre.

B．A wild man was pushing a car.

C．A terrible car accident happened.

D．An old man’s car broke down.

小题3:Why did the old man offer Jimmy a ride?

A．He was also to be interviewed.

B．He needed a travelling companion.

C．He always helped people in need.

D．He was thankful to Jimmy.

小题4:How did Jimmy feel on hearing the interviewer’s question?

A．He was sorry for the other applicants.

B．There was no hope for him to get the job.

C．He regretted helping the old man.

D．The interviewer was very rude.

小题5:What can we learn from Jimmy’s experience?

A．Where there’s a will，there’s a way.

B．A friend in need is a friend indeed.

C．Good is rewarded with good.

D．Two heads are better than one.

(2013·高考浙江卷，D)In 1974，after filling out fifty applications，going through four interviews，and winning one offer，I took what I could get—a teaching job at what I considered a distant wild area：western New Jersey.My characteristic optimism was alive only when I reminded myself that I would be doing what I had wanted to do since I was fourteen—teaching English.
School started，but I felt more and more as if I were in a foreign country.Was this rural area really New Jersey？My students took a week off when hunting season began.I was told they were also frequently absent in late October to help their fathers make hay on the farms.I was a young woman from New York City，who thought that“Make hay while the sun shines” just meant to have a good time.
But，still，I was teaching English.I worked hard，taking time off only to eat and sleep.And then there was my sixth­grade class—seventeen boys and five girls who were only six years younger than me.I had a problem long before I knew it.I was struggling in my work as a young idealistic teacher.I wanted to make literature come alive and to promote a love of the written word.The students wanted to throw spitballs and whisper dirty words in the back of the room.
In college I had been taught that a successful educator should ignore bad behavior.So I did，confident that，as the textbook had said，the bad behavior would disappear as I gave my students positive attention.It sounds reasonable，but the text evidently ignored the fact that humans，particularly teenagers，rarely seem reasonable.By the time my boss，who was also my taskmaster，known to be the strictest，most demanding，most quick to fire inexperienced teachers，came into the classroom to observe me，the students exhibited very little good behavior to praise.
My boss sat in the back of the room.The boys in the class were making animal noises，hitting each other while the girls filed their nails or read magazines.I just pretended it all wasn’t happening，and went on lecturing and tried to ask some inspiring questions.My boss，sitting in the back of room，seemed to be growing bigger and bigger.After twenty minutes he left，silently.Visions of unemployment marched before my eyes.
I felt mildly victorious that I got through the rest of class without crying，but at my next free period I had to face him.I wondered if he would let me finish out the day.I walked to his office，took a deep breath，and opened the door.
He was sitting in his chair，and he looked at me long and hard.I said nothing.All I could think of was that I was not an English teacher；I had been lying to myself，pretending that everything was fine.
When he spoke，he said simply，without accusation，“You had nothing to say to them.”
“You had nothing to say to them.”he repeated.“No wonder they’re bored.Why not get to the meat of the literature and stop talking about symbolism.Talk with them，not at them.And more important，why do you ignore their bad behavior？”We talked.He named my problems and offered solutions.We role­played.He was the bad student，and I was the forceful，yet，warm，teacher.
As the year progressed，we spent many hours discussing literature and ideas about human beings and their motivations.He helped me identify my weaknesses and my strengths.In short，he made a teacher of me by teaching me the reality of Emerson’s words：“The secret to education lies in respecting the pupil.”
Fifteen years later I still drive that same winding road to the same school.Thanks to the help I received that difficult first year，the school is my home now.
小题1:It can be inferred from the story that in 1974________.

A．the writer became an optimistic person

B．the writer was very happy about her new job

C．it was rather difficult to get a job in the USA

D．it was easy to get a teaching job in New Jersey

小题2:According to the passage，which of the following is most probably the writer’s problem as a new teacher?

A．She had blind trust in what she learnt at college.

B．She didn’t ask experienced teachers for advice.

C．She took too much time off to eat and sleep.

D．She didn’t like teaching English literature.

小题3:What is the writer’s biggest worry after her taskmaster’s observation of her class?

A．She might lose her teaching job.

B．She might lose her students’ respect.

C．She couldn’t teach the same class any more.

D．She couldn’t ignore her students’ bad behavior any more.

小题4:Which of the following gives the writer a sense of mild victory?

A．Her talk about symbolism sounded convincing.

B．Her students behaved a little better than usual.

C．She managed to finish the class without crying.

D．She was invited for a talk by her boss after class.

小题5:The students behaved badly in the writer’s classes because________.

A．they were eager to embarrass her

B．she didn’t really understand them

C．they didn’t regard her as a good teacher

D．she didn’t have a good command of English

小题6:The taskmaster’s attitude towards the writer after his observation of her class can be best described as ________.

A．cruel but encouraging

B．fierce but forgiving

C．sincere and supportive

D．angry and aggressive

(2013·高考广东卷，C)One day，when I was working as a psychologist in England，an adolescent boy showed up in my office.It was David.He kept walking up and down restlessly，his face pale，and his hands shaking slightly.His head teacher had referred him to me.“This boy has lost his family，”he wrote.“He is understandably very sad and refuses to talk to others，and I’m very worried about him.Can you help？”
I looked at David and showed him to a chair.How could I help him? There are problems psychology doesn’t have the answer to，and which no words can describe.Sometimes the best thing one can do is to listen openly and sympathetically.
The first two times we met，David didn’t say a word.He sat there，only looking up to look at the children’s drawings on the wall behind me.I suggested we play a game of chess.He nodded.After that he played chess with me every Wednesday afternoon—in complete silence and without looking at me.It’s not easy to cheat in chess，but I admit I made sure David won once or twice.
Usually，he arrived earlier than agreed，took the chess board and pieces from the shelf and began setting them up before I even got a chance to sit down.It seemed as if he enjoyed my company.But why did he never look at me?
“Perhaps he simply needs someone to share his pain with，”I thought.“Perhaps he senses that I respect his suffering.”Some months later，when we were playing chess，he looked up at me suddenly.
“It’s your turn，”he said.
After that day，David started talking.He got friends in school and joined a bicycle club.He wrote to me a few times，about his biking with some friends，and about his plan to get into university.Now he had really started to live his own life.
Maybe I gave David something.But I also learned that one—without any words—can reach out to another person.All it takes is a hug，a shoulder to cry on，a friendly touch，and an ear that listens.
小题1:When he first met the author，David________.

A．felt a little excited

B．walked energetically

C．looked a little nervous

D．showed up with his teacher

小题2:As a psychologist，the author________.

A．was ready to listen to David

B．was skeptical about psychology

C．was able to describe David’s problem

D．was sure of handling David’s problem

小题3:David enjoyed being with the author because he________.

A．wanted to ask the author for advice

B．needed to share sorrow with the author

C．liked the children’s drawings in the office

D．beat the author many times in the chess game

小题4:What can be inferred about David?

A．He recovered after months of treatment.

B．He liked biking before he lost his family.

C．He went into university soon after starting to talk.

D．He got friends in school before he met the author.

小题5:What made David change?

A．His teacher’s help.

B．The author’s friendship.

C．His exchange of letters with the author.

D．The author’s silent communication with him.

(2013·高考重庆卷，D)Not all bodies of water are so evidently alive as the Atlantic Ocean，an S­shaped body of water covering 33 million square miles.The Atlantic has，in a sense，replaced the Mediterranean as the inland sea of Western civilization.Unlike real inland seas，which seem strangely still，the Atlantic is rich in oceanic liveliness.It is perhaps not surprising that its vitality has been much written about by ancient poets.
“Storm at Sea”，a short poem written around 700，is generally regarded as one of mankind’s earliest artistic representations of the Atlantic.
When the wind is from the west
All the waves that cannot rest
To the east must thunder on
Where the bright tree of the sun
Is rooted in the ocean’s breast.
As the poem suggests，the Atlantic is never dead and dull.It is an ocean that moves，impressively and endlessly.It makes all kinds of noise—it is forever thundering，boiling，crashing，and whistling.
It is easy to imagine the Atlantic trying to draw breath－perhaps not so noticeably out in mid­ocean，but where it meets land，its waters bathing up and down a sandy beach.It mimics(模仿)nearly perfectly the steady breathing of a living creature.It is filled with symbiotic existences，too：unimaginable quantities of creatures，little and large alike，mix within its depths in a kind of oceanic harmony，giving to the waters a feeling of heartbeat，a kind of sub­ocean vitality.And it has a psychology.It has personalities：sometimes peaceful and pleasant，on rare occasions rough and wild; always it is strong and striking.
小题1:Unlike real inland seas，the Atlantic Ocean is________.

A．always energetic

B．lacking in liveliness

C．shaped like a square

D．favored by ancient poets

小题2:What is the purpose of using the poem “Storm at Sea” in the passage?

A．To describe the movement of the waves.

B．To show the strength of the storm.

C．To represent the power of the ocean.

D．To prove the vastness of the sea.

小题3:What does the underlined word “symbiotic” mean?

A．Living together.

B．Growing fast.

C．Moving harmoniously.

D．Breathing peacefully.

小题4:In the last paragraph，the Atlantic is compared to________.

A．a beautiful and poetic place

B．a flesh and blood person

C．a wonderful world

D．a lovely animal

(2013·高考山东卷，D)Sparrow is a fast­food chain with 200 restaurants.Some years ago，the group to which Sparrow belonged was taken over by another company.Although Sparrow showed no sign of declining，the chain was generally in an unhealthy state.With more and more fast­food concepts reaching the market，the Sparrow menu had to struggle for attention.And to make matters worse，its new owner had no plans to give it the funds it required.
Sparrow failed to grow for another two years，until a new CEO，Carl Pearson，decided to build up its market share.He did a survey，which showed that consumers who already used Sparrow restaurants were extremely positive about the chain，while customers of other fast­food chains were unwilling to turn away from them.Sparrow had to develop a new promotional campaign.
Pearson faced a battle over the future of the Sparrow brand.The chain’s owner now favored rebranding Sparrow as Marcy’s restaurants.Pearson resisted，arguing for an advertising campaign designed to convince customers that visits to Sparrow restaurants were fun.Such an attempt to establish a positive relationship between a company and the general public was unusual for that time.Pearson strongly believed that numbers were the key to success，rather than customers’ spending power.Finally，the owner accepted his idea.
The campaign itself changed the traditional advertising style of the fast­food industry.The TV ads of Sparrow focused on entertainment and featured original songs performed by a variety of stars.Instead of showing the superiority of a specific product，the intention was to put Sparrow in the hearts of potential customers.
Pearson also made other decisions which he believed would contribute to the new Sparrow image.For example，he offered to lower the rent of any restaurants which achieved a certain increase in their turnover(营业额)．
These efforts paid off，and Sparrow soon became one of the most successful fast­food chains in the regions where it operated.
小题1:Which was one of the problems Sparrow faced before Pearson became CEO?

A．The number of its customers was declining.

B．Its customers found the food unhealthy.

C．It was in need of financial support.

D．Most of its restaurants were closed.

小题2:What does the underlined word“them”in Paragraph 2 refer to?

A．Customers of Sparrow restaurants.

B．Sparrow restaurants.

C．Customers of other fast­food chains.

D．Other fast­food chains.

小题3:For what purpose did Pearson start the advertising campaign?

A．To build a good relationship with the public.

B．To stress the unusual tradition of Sparrow.

C．To learn about customers’spending power.

D．To meet the challenge from Marcy’s restaurants.

小题4:The TV ads of Sparrow ________.

A．changed people’s views on pop stars

B．amused the public with original songs

C．focused on the superiority of its products

D．influenced the eating habits of the audience

小题5:What was Pearson’s achievement as a CEO?

A．He managed to pay off Sparrow’s debts.

B．He made Sparrow much more competitive.

C．He helped Sparrow take over a company.

D．He improved the welfare of Sparrow employees.