A month after Hurricane Katrina, I returned home in New Orleans. There lay my house, reduced towaist-high ruins, smelly and dirty.
Before the trip, I’d had my car fixed. When the office employee of the garage was writing up the bill，she noticed my Louisiana license plate. “You from New Orleans?”she asked I said I was, “No charge.”She said, and firmly shook her head when I reached for my wallet. The next day I went for a haircut, and the same thing happened.
As my wife was studying in Florida, we decided to move there and tried to find a rental house that we could afford while also paying off a mortgage (抵押贷款〉on our mined house. We looked at many places, but none was satisfactory. We’d began to accept that we*d have to live in extremely reduced circumstances for a while, when I got a very curious e-mail from a James Kemmedy in California. He’d read some pieces I’d written about our sufferings for State, the online magazine  and wanted to give us (""no conditions attached’）a new house across thelake from New Orleans.
It sounded too good to be true, but I replied, thanking him for his exceptional generosity, that we had no plan to go back. Then a poet at the University of Florida offered to let his house to me, while he went to England on his one-year paid leave. The rent was rather reasonable. I mentioned the poet’s offer to James Kemdedy, and the next day he sent a check covering our entire rent for eight months.
Throughout this painful experience, the kindness of strangers has done much to bring back my faith in humanity. It’s almost worth losing your worldly possessions to be reminded that people are really nice when given half a chance.
小题1:The garage employee’s attitude toward the author was that of          

A．unconcern	B．sympathy
C．doubt	D．tolerance

小题2:What do we know about James Kemnedy?

A．He was a writer of an online magazine.

B．He was a poet at the University of Florida

C．He offered the author a new house free of charge.

D．He learned about the author’s sufferings via e-mail

小题3:It can be inferred from the text that         

A．the author’s family was in financial difficulty

B．rents were comparatively reasonable despite the disaster

C．houses were difficult to find in the hurricane-stricken area

D．the mortgage on the ruined house was paid off by the bank

小题4:The author learned from his experience that         

A．worldly possessions can be given up when necessary

B．generosity should be encouraged in some cases

C．people benefit from their sad stories

D．human beings are kind after all.

When Andrea Peterson landed her first teaching job, she faced the daunting task of creating a music program with almost no money for equipment or supplies in a climate where standards-based learning was the focus and music just provided a break for students and teachers.
For her drive and creativity in overcoming those challenges, she’s been named national teacher of the year.
Principal Waynes Kettler said he’s worked with many outstanding teachers in his 22 years as an educator, but Peterson is “just that one step above anybody I’ve ever worked with before.”
Kettler and others at Monte Cristo Elementary School talk about the ways she has introduced the learning from other classrooms into her music program and her creativity in working around things such as the lack of money for new music.
When students were reading S.E. Hinton’s novel The Outsiders in their regular classroom, Peterson helped them write a 30-minute play with scenes from the book. Then they chose three Broadway tunes that focused on race, equality and social justice, the themes of the book. Peterson composed two other songs herself after classroom discussions about the play and the book.
The honor means a lot to residents of Granite Falls. It’s inspiring to know that people from small towns can even win national honors.
As national teacher of the year, Peterson will spend the next year outside the classroom, as a national and international spokeswoman for education.
Not surpassingly, she is a big believe in the value of acts education. She said it’s essential for schools to offer classes such as act or music and physical education because for some kids one of those subjects is the only thing that motivates them to come back to school day after day.
小题1:The underlined word “daunting” in Paragraph 1 most probably means __________.

A．discouraging	B．interesting
C．creative	D．unbearable

小题2:When Peterson began her teaching career, ____________.

A．music was a focus of learning in most schools

B．the environment was favorable to music teaching

C．the school lacked teaching facilities for music

D．financial support for music programs was unavailable

小题3:What is the most important reason that Peterson won the award?

A．She concerned herself with current social problems.

B．She motivated students to learn music with her creativity.

C．She has taught music at the elementary school for 22 years.

D．She made great efforts to arouse students’ interest in literature.

小题4:Which of the following is an example of Peterson’s way of teaching music?

A．She wrote plays on themes of race, equality and social justice.

B．She made use of the contents of other classes in her teaching.

C．She organized classroom discussions of Broadway tunes.

D．She helped students compose songs by themselves.

小题5:In Peterson’s opinion, ____________.

A．art, music and PE classes are all important

B．more subjects should be offered to students

C．students should be motivated to attend art classes

D．arts education is more important than other subjects

小题6:It can be inferred from the text that ________.

A．Peterson’s honor was a surprise for the local people

B．Peterson’s art classes attracted students back to school

C．Peterson aroused the local residents’ passion for music

D．Peterson will change her profession next year

Kerry and Alice were both artists in Britain．They taught drawing and painting at Cambridge University．Although they were friends，each thought oneself to be the better painter．
One day，Kerry promised marriage to Alice．Surprised and pleased by the offer，the girl was not sure whether she would spend her future as a wife or a painter．After a moment she replied as follows,“Each of us must paint a picture．If yours is superior to mine．you can make me your wife．If not，please drop the question．”Then it was decided to give it the following day．
The next morning，Alice hung her picture on the gate．It showed a bunch of flowers and won high praise(赞扬)from everyone who passed by．In fact，a crowd collected in front of her masterpiece and fixed their eyes on it．
Several hours passed．Then Kerry was seen coming along to the gate with what appeared to be a beautiful leather suitcase in his hand．When he finally stopped before Alice, the girl artist blushed like a rose and agreed to marry him without any hesitation(犹豫)．Why?
Answer the questions：
小题1:What are Kerry and Alice?
__________________________________________.
小题2:What’s the meaning of the underlined part“superior to”?
____________________________________________________
小题3:Did Kerry agree to Alice’s suggestion?
_____________________________________________________
小题4:Why did Alice’s picture win high praise?
____________________________________________________
小题5:What do you think the“leather suitcase’’ really was?
________________________________________________________________

The family had just moved. The young woman was feeling a little__31__. It was Mother's Day — and 800 miles separated her from her parents.
She had called them that morning, and her mother had__32__ how colorful their backyard was__ 33__ spring had arrived. Later, she told her husband how she__34__ those lilacs（丁香）in her parents' yard. “I know where we can find some,” he said. “Get the__35__ and come on.” So off they went.
Some time later, they stopped at a hill and there were lilacs all round. The young woman rushed up to the nearest__ 36__ and buried her face in the flowers. Carefully, she__37__ some. Finally, they returned to their car for the__38__ home. The woman sat smiling, surrounded by her__39__.
When they were near home, she shouted “stop,” got off quickly and__40__ to a nearby nursing home.  She went to the end of the porch(门廊), where a(n)__41__ patient was sitting in her wheelchair, and put the flowers into her lap. The two__42__, bursting into laughter now and then. Later the young woman turned and ran back to her__43__. As the car pulled away, the woman in the wheelchair__44__ with a smile, and held the lilacs__45__.
“Mom,” the kids asked, “__46___ did you give her our flowers?” “It is Mother's Day, and she seems so__47__ while I have all of you. And anyone would be__48__ by flowers.”
This satisfied the kids, but not the husband. The next day he__49__ some young lilacs around their yard.
I was the husband. Now, every May, our yard is full of lilacs. Every Mother's Day our kids__50__ purple lilacs. And every year I remember that smile of the lonely old woman.

小题1:	A．moved B．worried C．angry D．depressed

小题2:	A．learned B．imagined C．mentioned D．realized

小题3:	A．now that B．so that C．as if D．even if

小题4:	A．missed B．grew C．watered D．showed

小题5:	A．cars B．kids C．clothes D．lilacs

小题6:	A．bush B．hill C．yard D．door

小题7:	A．bought B．picked C．set D．raised

小题8:	A．break B．holiday C．trip D．dinner

小题9:	A．friends B．memory C．flowers D．honor

小题10:

A．responded B．pointed C．drove D．hurried

小题11:

A．loving B．elderly C．serious D．sensitive

小题12:

A．hesitated B．waited C．sat D．chatted

小题13:

A．family B．mother C．path D．home

小题14:

A．nodded B．waved C．left D．continued

小题15:

A．sadly B．politely C．quickly D．tightly

小题16:

A．why B．when C．how D．where

小题17:

A．quiet B．confused C．alone D．patient

小题18:

A．calmed B．persuaded C．disappointed D．cheered

小题19:

A．arranged B．dried C．planted D．hid

小题20:

A．find B．gather C．receive D．sell

I’d always dreamed of exploring Africa, ever since I read my first Tarzan（《人猿泰山》）comic as a child. Finally, in 2004, to celebrate my 60^th birthday, I went to Tanzania to experience a safari（东非游猎）and climb Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa. Seated next to me on the flight was Tanzania’s minister of water and wildlife development. We talked for thousands of miles, and he arranged me to visit a school. When I toured the school, I was shocked. The leaky（漏的）roofs turned the dirt floors into mud during the rainy season, and the walls couldn’t keep out the heat, cold or bugs(小昆虫). The school was in need of all material goods, but the kids possessed great human spirit.
It broke my heart that these children had to struggle to survive, so I asked the headmaster what it would cost to feed them. As little as 20 cents per child per day, he told me. Immediately I got home, I founded Kids of Kilimanjaro. Since then we’ve grown to provide hot lunches for nearly 13,000 schoolchildren every day. The free lunch program has eased a major problem the youngsters face.
I know a good education could really make a difference in these children’s lives. My parents always stressed the importance of education. I paid my own way through college in Tokyo by teaching English to students and businesspeople. After attending university I moved to San Francisco, when I was 25 years old. In 1978 I realized my American dream when I founded my own company. My success all started with a good education.
It’s amazing that something as simple as a nutritious lunch can change and enrich so many lives. Giving young people a better, healthier life can inspire them to go all the way through college and lead a movement that transforms their country.
小题1:Why did the author go to Tanzania to celebrate his 60^th birthday?

A．He was curious about what Africa was like.

B．He was concerned about the Africans’ miserable life.

C．He wanted to get an idea of the area’s wildlife.

D．He hoped to lead a movement that would transform his country.

小题2:After his tour to the school, the author found that the kids there were ________.

A．in need of help

B．not interested in studies

C．not used to the rainy season

D．in low spirits

小题3:What is the main purpose of Kids of Kilimanjaro?

A．To make sure the African kids are mentally healthy.

B．To spread knowledge among the African kids.

C．To build new schools for the African kids.

D．To protect the African kids from hunger.

小题4:What is the correct sequence of the following events?
a.“I” founded “my” first company.
b.“I” founded Kids of Kilimanjaro.
c.“I” read “my” first Tarzan comic.
d.“I” moved to San Francisco.

A．a, c, d, b

B．a, d, c, b

C．c, a, d, b

D．c, d, a, b

小题5:The author believes education is important because __________.

A．his parents always stressed the importance of education

B．a good education contributes to his success

C．he paid his own way through college by teaching English

D．he’s trying to realize his American dream

On the Iraq-Syria border, a pack of wild dogs circled a group of American soldiers for food. The 1 of the pack was a gray-and-white dog. The soldiers 2 him Nubs. Nubs was shaking and 3  able to stand. Marine major Brian Dennis looked closer and saw that there was a knife wound 4 his chest.
Dennis couldn’t 5 seeing the dog suffer. He and his men immediately treated the wound, and gave Nubs oral medicine. Nubs pulled through but was still 6. The next day, the team had to leave. Ten days later, Dennis’s unit was back and so was Nubs. He was still 7, but the men fed him and played with him.
Before long the unit once again 8 an outpost (前哨) 70 miles away. Nubs, slowly but 9 tracked them far into the trackless wasteland until the men lost 10 of him. Two days later, beyond Dennis’s 11, he saw Nubs just outside the outpost. The dog had 12 him across 70 miles of frozen desert to meet the friend who had saved his life. From then on Nubs and the men slept in the same place, and ran around in the same ruins.
Until a(n) 13 came down from above that they should not be allowed to have pets, Dennis decided to make sure the dog 14 continue to live the good life. So he quickly 15 $4,000 from his family and friends to fly Nubs to 16.
A month later, when Dennis and the dog were 17 in California, at first Nubs didn’t recognize the guy. 18 within seconds , the dog flew into Dennis’s arms, 19 up again and again to lick his friend’s face.
A little care and concern in the middle of war will not save a 20 world. But small stories, like the story of a soldier and a dog, hold a promise of a harmonious world.

小题1:	A．guider B．leader C．major D．helper

小题2:	A．called B．said C．told. D．spoke

小题3:	A．mostly B．certainly C．barely D．clearly

小题4:	A．in B．on C．at D．behind

小题5:	A．help B．stand C．admit D．avoid

小题6:	A．in vain B．in danger C．in surprise D．in pain

小题7:	A．weak B．sad C．alive D．alone

小题8:	A．made up B．returned from C．left for D．took over

小题9:	A．aimlessly B．determinedly C．unhappily D．carefully

小题10:

A．touch B．footprint C．sight D．control

小题11:

A．imagination B．ability C．understanding D．power

小题12:

A．saved B．shown C．found D．followed

小题13:

A．signal B．project C．plan D．order

小题14:

A．need B．would C．might D．should

小题15:

A．rose B．arose C．raised D．aroused

小题16:

A．Britain B．America C．Iraq D．Syria

小题17:

A．reunited B．recalled C．restored D．reminded

小题18:

A．So B．And C．But D．Then

小题19:

A．jumping B．climbing C．cheering D．bringing

小题20:

A．peaceful B．competitive C．fantastic D．violent

Dear Mr Brown,
“Do you like my dress?" A little girl asked a passing stranger. "My mommy made it just for me." She said with tears in her eyes. "Well, I think it's very pretty. So tell me , little one, why are you   1   ?"  With a quiver(颤动) in her voice the little girl answered，"After Mommy made me this dress, she had to   2   ." "Well, now," said the lady, "with a little girl like you waiting for her, I'm sure she'll be right   3   ." "No ,Madam,you don't understand," said the child through her tears," my daddy said she's up in  4    now with Grandfather. "Finally the woman   5   what the child meant, and why she was crying. Kneeling down she     6 cradled(抱着) the child in her arms and together they cried for the mommy that was gone. Then suddenly the little girl did something that the woman thought was a bit 7 .She stopped crying, stepped back from the woman and began to  8 .She sang so softly that it was almost a whisper. It was the    9   sound the woman had ever heard, almost like the song of a very small  10 . After the child stopped singing she explained to the lady, "My mommy used to sing that song to me before she went away, and she made me    11  to sing it whenever I started crying and it would make me   12   ." "See," she exclaimed, "it did, and now my eyes are13 !" As the woman turned to go, the little girl grabbed her sleeve, "Madam, can you 14 a minute? I want to show you something." "Of course," she answered, "what do you want me to see?" Pointing to a spot on her dress, she said, "Right here is where my mommy   15  my dress, and here, "pointing to another spot, "and here is another kiss, and here, and here. Mommy said that she put all those kisses on my   16  so that I would have her kisses for every booboo (错误) that made me cry." Then the lady realized that she wasn't just looking at a dress, no, she was looking at a  17 who knew that she was going away and would not be there to kiss away the   18   that she knew her daughter would get. So she took all the love she had for her beautiful little girl and put them into this dress that her child now so proudly 19  . She no longer saw a little girl in a    20   dress. She saw a child wrapped…in her mother's love.

小题1:	A．standing B．smiling C．crying D．talking

小题2:	A．go out B．run away C．leave away D．go away

小题3:	A．in B．out C．back D．down

小题4:	A．sky B．air C．house D．heaven

小题5:	A．saw B．realized C．recognized D．though

小题6:	A．gently B．rudely C．happily D．carefully

小题7:	A．sad B．terrible C．strange D．exciting

小题8:	A．cry B．shout C．laugh D．sing

小题9:	A．sweetest B．lowest C．simplest D．slightest

小题10:

A．bee B．child C．bird D．cat

小题11:

A．like B．wish C．permit D．promise

小题12:

A．stop B．begin C．continue D．finish

小题13:

A．clean B．wet C．dry D．clear

小题14:

A．leave B．keep C．sit D．stay

小题15:

A．kissed B．made C．gave D．washed

小题16:

A．hand B．heart C．body D．dress

小题17:

A．woman B．soul C．mother D．Person

小题18:

A．hurts B．problem C．joys D．surprises

小题19:

A．held B．put C．wore D．hid

小题20:

A．easy B．beautiful C．attractive D．simple

There were once three little butterfly（蝴蝶）brothers, one white, one red, and one yellow. They played among the flowers in the garden, but never grew tired because they were so happy. One day there came a    1   rain, and it wet their wings. They   2   home, but when they got there they found the door 3 and the key gone. So they had to stay outdoors in the    4  .
Soon they flew to the    5  and yellow tulip（郁金香）, and said, “Friend Tulip, will you open your flower and let us     6  till the storm is over?” The tulip    7    , “The red and yellow butterflies may enter, because they are   8    me, but the white one may not come in.”    9   the red and yellow butterflies said, “If our white brother may not find shelter in your flower, we’ll stay  10     in the rain with him.”
It fained harder and harder, and the   11  little butterflies flew to the white lily and said, “Good Lily, will you   12  your bud（花蕾）a little so we may fly in out of the rain?” The lily answered, “The white butterfly may  13  , because he is like me , but the red and yellow ones must stay outside in the storm..” Then the little white butterfly said, “If you won’t   14  my red and yellow brothers, I’ll stay out in the rain with them. We would rather be   15  than be separated.”
So the three little butterflies flew away. But the  16  , who was behind a cloud,   17  it all, and he knew what good little  18  the butterflies were. So he pushed his face through the clouds, drove away the rain, and  19  brightly on the garden. He dried the   20   of the butterflies, and warmed their bodies. They danced among the flowers till evening. When they flew back home, they found the door wide open.

小题1:	A．thick B．light C．heavy D．small

小题2:	A．flew B．walked C．jumped D．moved

小题3:	A．dragged B．locked C．protected D．repaired

小题4:	A．tree B．water C．wind D．Rain

小题5:	A．black B．green C．red D．blue

小题6:	A．in B．out C．up D．down

小题7:	A．apologized B．roared C．shouted D．answered

小题8:	A．from B．like C．through D．with

小题9:	A．However B．If C．But D．Or

小题10:

A．inside B．above C．below D．outside

小题11:

A．poor B．lucky C．rich D．happy

小题12:

A．close B．shake C．open D．show

小题13:

A．go out B．come in C．get up D．take off

小题14:

A．invite B．touch C．trouble D．receive

小题15:

A．wet B．sorry C．dry D．lonely

小题16:

A．moon B．sky C．sun D．star

小题17:

A．noticed B．heard C．reached D．caught

小题18:

A．sisters B．classmates C．workers D．brothers

小题19:

A．pointed B．arrived C．shone D．returned

小题20:

A．wings B．heads C．feet D．legs

The secret of happiness
An old man walked slowly with a cane(手杖)into the restaurant .His old jacket, worn-out shoes and warm personality made him stand out from the usual crowd.
A young waitress watched him move toward a table by the window. She ran over to him, and said: “Here, sir……let me help you with that chair.”
Without saying a word, he smiled and nodded(点头)a thank you. She pulled the chair away from the table and helped him sit. Then she put his came against the table.
“Thank you, miss.”he said, kindly.
“You’re welcome, sir.”she said.
After he had finished his breakfast, the waitress brought him the change(零钱)from his bill. He left it on the table. She helped him up and walked with him to the front door.
When she went to clean his table, she found a business card under his plate and note on a napkin(纸巾). Under the napkin was a 100-dollar bill.
The note on the napkin read: “Dear miss, I respect you very much and I can see you respect yourself, too. It shows by the way you treat others. (3)You have found the secret of happiness. Your kindness will shine through to all those who meet you.”
The man she had waited on was the owner of the restaurant where she worked. This was the first time that she or any of the other workers had ever seen him in person.
By Steve Brunkhorst
小题1:The old man left﹩100 under the napkin because he

A．had a habit of giving tips to waitresses

B．thought the meal was delicious

C．wanted to thank the waitress for her good attitude

D．learned the secret of happiness from the waitress

小题2:What do we know about the waitress and the old man?

A．The waitress knew who the old man was from the note.

B．The waitress knew the old man before she served him.

C．The old man wanted to have the waitress as his secretary.

D．It was the first time that the waitress had ever seen her boss.

小题3:We can tell from the story that the old man went to the restaurant to     .

A．have a good meal

B．enjoy good service

C．see the restaurant for himself

D．show his love for common people

小题4:The underlined phrase“waited on”means     .

A．looked at

B．served

C．waited for

D．Found

A year ago I paid no attention to English idioms,     36 ___my teacher said again and again that it was important.  
One day, I happened to  37 ___an Englishman on the road, and soon we began to  38____. As I was talking about how I was studying English, the foreigner shook his head, saying, “You don’t say! You don’t say!” I was   39 ____, I thought, perhaps this is not a  40  topic. Well, I’d   41____ change the topic. So I said to him, “Well, shall we talk about the Great Wall?       42 ___the way, have you ever 43 ____ there?”
“Certainly, everyone back home will   44 ___me if I leave China without seeing  45 ___” It was great. I said, “The Great Wall is one of the wonders in the world. It is a place of  46 ____.” Soon I was interrupted again by his words, “ 47 _____ !” I couldn’t 48 ____asking, “Why do you ask me not to talk about it?” “Well, I didn’t ask you to do 49___”, he answered, gently surprised.
I said, “Didn't you say 'You don’t say'?”
Hearing this, the Englishman 50 ____to tears. He began to  51 ____, “'You don't say' actually means 'really?'. It is an  52 ___of surprise. Perhaps you don't pay attention  53____ English idioms.”
Then I knew I had made fool of  54____. Since then I have been more  55 ____with idioms.

小题1:	A．though B．when C．if D．as

小题2:	A．look B．meet C．pick up D．find out

小题3:	A．walk B．talk C．play D．go

小题4:	A．pleased B．angry C．afraid D．surprised

小题5:	A．proper B．strange C．safe D．polite

小题6:	A．to B．better C．not D．like

小题7:	A．On B．In C．All D．By

小题8:	A．gone B．visited C．seen D．been

小题9:	A．look at B．think of C．send for D．laugh at

小题10:

A．it B．them C．anything D．something

小题11:

A．fun B．interest C．business D．mountain

小题12:

A．Really B．Good C．You don't say D．You are right

小题13:

A．be B．help C．think D．do

小题14:

A．this B．so C．anything D．me a favor

小题15:

A．laughed B．cried C．moved D．came

小题16:

A．explain B．shout C．prove D．say

小题17:

A．experience B．expression C．explanation D．example

小题18:

A．for B．to C．at D．in

小题19:

A．me B．myself C．him D．somebody

小题20:

A．helpful B．popular C．careful D．satisfied