I _______, but I was stopped by the heavy rain.（ ）

A. mean to come　 B. mean coming　 C. had meant to stop　 D. meant coming

 

It was raining as I got off the train in Nashville, Tennessee. I was tired so I went straight to my hotel.

A big, heavy man was walking up and down in the hotel lobby. Something about the way he moved made me think of a hungry dog looking for a bone. He had a big, fat, red face and a sleepy expression in his eyes. He introduced himself as Wentworth Caswell – Major Wentworth Caswell – from “a fine southern family”. Caswell pulled me into the hotel’s barroom and yelled for a waiter. We ordered drinks. While we drank, he talked continually about himself, his family, his wife and her family. He said his wife was rich. He showed me a handful of silver coins that he pulled from his coat pocket.

By this time, I had decided that I wanted no more of him. I said good night.

I was born in the south myself. But I live in New York now. I write for a large magazine. My boss had asked me to go to Nashville. The magazine had received some stories and poems from a writer in Nashville, named Azalea Adair. The editor liked her work very much. The publisher asked me to get her to sign an agreement to write only for his magazine.

I left the hotel at nine o’clock the next morning to find Miss Adair. It was still raining. As soon as I stepped outside I met Uncle Caesar. He was a big, old black man with fuzzy gray hair. Uncle Caesar was wearing the strangest coat I had ever seen. It must have been a military officer’s coat. It was very long and when it was new it had been gray. But now rain, sun and age had made it a rainbow of colors. Only one of the buttons was left. It was yellow and as big as a fifty cent coin.

Uncle Caesar stood near a horse and carriage. He opened the carriage door and said softly, “Step right in, sir. I’ll take you anywhere in the city.”

“I want to go to 861 Jasmine Street,” I said, and I started to climb into the carriage. But the old man stopped me. “Why do you want to go there, sir?”

“What business is it of yours?” I said angrily. Uncle Caesar relaxed and smiled. “Nothing, sir. But it’s a lonely part of town. Just step in and I’ll take you there right away.”

861 Jasmine Street had been a fine house once, but now it was old and dying. I got out of the carriage.

“That will be two dollars, sir,” Uncle Caesar said. I gave him two one-dollar bills. As I handed them to him, I noticed that one had been torn in half and fixed with a piece of blue paper. Also, the upper right hand corner was missing.

1.The narrator （故事的叙述者）got to Nashville probably _______.

A. in the morning   B. at noon    C. in the afternoon    D. in the evening

2. The narrator didn’t like Caswell mainly because of ________.

A. his appearance   B. his family    C. the way he talked and behaved  D. his wife

3. The publisher told the narrator to go to Nashville ______.

A. to get a writer to sign an agreement for his magazine

B. to collect some stories and poems from a writer

C. to look for good writers for his magazine

D. to visit his old friend Azalea Adair

4. Uncle Caesar’s strange coat ________.

A. was worn by a military officer      B. was a new gray coat

C. was an old yellow raincoat         D. had only one button left

5. From the question “Why do you want to go there, sir?”, we guess that Uncle Caesar _______.

A. wanted to know why the narrator wanted to go there

B. knew the place and was concerned about the narrator 

C. would charge two dollars for taking the narrator there

D. must have lived in the neighbourhood before

 

My Way to Success

From the day I signed up for the Naumburg Competition, everything changed. I had made a decision to start again, to save my life, and that meant a 360-degree turnaround.
I kept on practicing. An enormous amount of work had to be done in two months. I went from not practicing at all to thirteen hours a day.
I spent two weeks just playing scales. If I thought I sounded bad before, now I sounded worse than awful.
At the time I lived on 72nd Street, close to West End Avenue. I had an apartment with a window the size of a shoebox. I didn't do mylaundry. I left my apartment only to walk to Juilliard─and not onBroadway like everyone else. I walked up Amsterdam Avenue because I didn't want to see anybody, didn't want to run into anybody, didn't want anyone to ask what I was doing.
I stopped going to classes and became a hermit. I even talked Miss DeLay into giving my lesson at night.
My eating habits were awful. I lived on fried sausages, a pint of peanut butter/chocolate ice cream, and a gallon of Coca-Cola every day. That's all I ate for eight weeks.
I was nuts. I was completely obsessed with getting back into shape, with doing well in this competition. If I could, people would know I was still on earth. Not to count me out; to stop asking, “Whatever happened to Nadja?”
The last week before the Naumburg auditions, I couldn't touch the violin. I had worked and worked and worked and worked and then I just couldn't work anymore.
I certainly could have used it. I wasn't as prepared as I should have been. But I simply had to say, “Nadja, you've dedicated yourself to this thing. Ready or not, do your best.”
Fifty violinists from around the world auditioned for the competition on May 25, 26, and 27, 1981. Those that made it past thepreliminaries would go on to the semifinals. Those that passed that stage would go to the finals. In years past, one violinist was chosen as winner and two received second and third place.
On May 26, the day of my audition, I went to the Merkin Concert Hall at 67th Street and Broadway. I waited, played for twenty minutes, and went home. I couldn't tell whether the preliminary judges were impressed or not. I'd find out the next evening.
Maybe subconsciously I was trying to keep busy; that night, when I fried the sausages, I accidentally set my apartment on fire. I grabbed my cat and my violin, and ran out the door. The fire was put out, but everything in my place was wrecked.
Fortunately, the phone was okay and on the evening of May 27, I had the news from Lucy Rowan Mann of Naumburg. Thirteen of us had made it.
Talk about mixed emotions. I was thrilled to be among the thirteen; a group that included established violinists, some of whom had already made records. But it also meant I had to play the next day in the semifinals of the competition.
Everyone entering the competition had been given two lists of concertos. One was a list of standard repertory pieces. The other list was twentieth-century repertory. For our big competition piece, we were to choose from each list and play a movement from one in the semifinals, and a movement from the other in the finals─if we made it that far.
From the standard repertory list, I chose the Tchaikovsky Concerto. I had been playing the Tchaik for three years, so it was a good piece for me.
From the twentieth-century list, I chose the Prokofiev G minor Concerto. I had never played it onstage before.
My goal had been just passing the auditions, but now my thought pattern began to change. If I wanted a sliver of a chance of advancing again, my brain said, “Play your strong piece first.”
Logically, I should play the Tchaikovsky in the semifinals just to make it to the next stage. Who cared if that left me with a piece I probably wouldn't play as well in the finals of the competition? It'd be a miracle to get that far.
There wouldn't be more than seven violinists chosen for the final round, and if I were in the top seven of an international group, that was plenty good enough.
The semifinals were held on May 28 in Merkin Concert Hall. You were to play for thirty minutes: your big piece first, then the judges would ask to hear another.
There was a panel of eight judges. They had a piece of paper with my choices of the Tchaikovsky and the Prokofiev in front of them. “Which would you like to play?” they asked.
I said meekly, “Prokofiev.”
My brain and all the logic in the world had said, “Play your strong piece.” My heart said, “Go for it all. Play your weak piece now, save Tchaikovsky for the finals.”
Maybe I don't listen to logic so easily after all.
My good friend, the pianist Sandra Rivers, had been chosen as accompanist for the competition. She knew I was nervous. There had been a very short time to prepare; I was sure there'd be memory slips, that I'd blank out in the middle and the judges would throw me out. My hands were like ice.
The first eight measures of the Prokofiev don't have accompaniment. The violin starts the piece alone. So I started playing.
I got through the first movement and Sandra said later my face was as white as snow. She said I was so tense, I was beyond shaking. Just a solid brick.
It was the best I'd ever played it. No memory slips at all. Technically, musically, it was there.
I finished it thinking, “Have I sold my soul for this? Is the devil going to visit me at midnight? How come it went so well?”
I didn't know why, but often I do my best under the worst of circumstances. I don't know if it's guts or a determination not to disappoint people. Who knows what it is, but it came through for me, and I thank God for that.
As the first movement ended, the judges said, “Thank you.” Then they asked for the Carmen Fantasy.
I turned and asked Sandy for an A, to retune, and later she said the blood was just rushing back into my face.
I whispered, “Sandy, I made it. I did it.”
“Yeah,” she whispered back, kiddingly, “too bad you didn't screw up. Maybe next time.”
At that point I didn't care if I did make the finals because I had played the Prokofiev so well. I was so proud of myself for coming through.
I needed a shot in the arm; that afternoon I got evicted. While I was at Merkin, my moped had blown up. For my landlord, that was the last straw.
What good news. I was completely broke and didn't have the next month's rent anyway. The landlord wanted me out that day. I said, “Please, can I have two days. I might get into the finals, can I please go through this first?”
I talked him into it, and got back to my place in time for the phone call. “Congratulations, Nadja,”“they said. “You have made the finals.”
I had achieved the ridiculously unlikely, and I had saved my best piece. Yet part of me was sorry. I wanted it to be over already. In the three days from the preliminaries to the semifinals, I lost eight pounds. I was so tired of the pressure.
There was a fellow who advanced to the finals with me, an old, good friend since Pre-College. Competition against friends is inevitable in music, but I never saw competition push a friendship out the window so quickly. By the day of the finals, I hated him and he hated me. Pressure was that intense.
The finals were held on May 29 at Carnegie Hall and open to the public. I was the fourth violinist of the morning, then there was a lunch break, and three more violinists in the afternoon.
I played my Tchaikovsky, Saint-Sa‘ns’s Havanaise, and Ravel's Tzigane for the judges: managers, famous violinists, teachers, and critics. I went on stage at five past eleven and finished at noon. Those fifty-five minutes seemed like three days.
I was so relieved when I finished playing; I was finished! It's impossible to say how happy I was to see the dressing room. I went out for lunch with my friends. It was like coming back from the grave. We laughed and joked and watched TV.
As I returned to Carnegie Hall to hear the other violinists, I realized I'd made a big mistake: they might ask for recalls. A recall is when they can't decide between two people and they want you to play again. It's been done; it's done all the time in competitions. No way was I in shape to go onstage and play again.
In the late afternoon, the competition was over. Everybody had finished playing. Quite luckily─no recalls.
The judges deliberated for an hour. The tension in the air was unbelievable. All the violinists were sitting with their little circle of friends. I had my few friends around me, but no one was saying much now.
Finally, the Naumburg Foundation president Robert Mann came on stage.
“It's always so difficult to choose ...” he began.
“Every year we hold this competition,” Robert Mann said. “And in the past, we've awarded three prizes. This year we've elected to only have one prize, the first prize.”
My heart sank. Nothing for me. Not even Miss Congeniality.
“We have found,” Mann went on, “that second place usually brings great dismay to the artist because they feel like a loser. We don't want anyone here to feel like a loser. Every finalist will receive five hundred dollars except the winner, who will receive three thousand dollars.”
And then he repeated how difficult it was to choose, how well everyone had played ...dah, dah, dah.
I was looking down at the floor.  
“The winner is ...”
And he said my name.
A friend next to me said, “Nadja, I think you won!”
I went numb. My friends pulled me up and pointed me toward the stage. It was a long walk because I had slipped into a seat in the back. Sitting up in front was my old friend. I would have to walk right past him and I was dreading it, but before I could, he got up and stopped me.
He threw his arms around me and I threw my arms around him. I kept telling him how sorry I was. I was holding him and started to cry, saying, “I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.” I didn't want to lose, but I really didn't want him to lose either. And he was holding me and saying, “Don't be sorry. I'm so proud of you.” It was over, and we would be friends again.
I took my bow, then ran to Juilliard. Ten blocks uptown, one block west, to give Miss DeLay the news. She could be proud of me now, too.
Suddenly, everything was clear. Playing the violin is what I'd do with my life. Heaven handed me a prize: “You've been through a lot, kid. Here's an international competition.”
Everything had changed when I prepared for the Naumburg, and now everything changed again. I made my first recording. Between September 1981 and May 1982, I played a hundred concerts in America, made one trip to Europe, then two months of summer festivals. And people asked me back.
There was a great deal of anxiety playing in Europe for the first time. But I was able to rely on my self-confidence to pull me through.
Self-confidence onstage doesn't mean a lack of nerves backstage. The stakes had increased. This wasn't practice anymore, this was my life. I'd stare into a dressing-room mirror and say, “Nadja, people have bought tickets, hired baby-sitters, you've got to calm down; go out there and prove yourself.”
Every night I'd prove myself again. My life work had truly begun

1. 1.

   In a gesture to prepare for the competition, Nadja did all the following except _________

   1. A.
      preoccupying herself in practice
   2. B.
      trying to carry out her deeds secretly
   3. C.
      abandoning going to school for classes
   4. D.
      consuming the best food to get enough energy
2. 2.

   How many violinists does the passage mention advanced to the finals?

   1. A.
      Four
   2. B.
      Five
   3. C.
      Six
   4. D.
      Seven
3. 3.

   After Nadja finished playing at the finals, she went out for a while and when she came back to hear the other violinists she realized she had made a mistake because _________

   1. A.
      she forgot that there was going to be a recall
   2. B.
      she didn’t get hold of the permission to leave
   3. C.
      chances were that she had to replay and she was off guard
   4. D.
      there was another play she had to take part in in the afternoon

A year ago, I paid no attention to English idioms, though my teacher emphasized(强调)the importance again and again. But soon, the importance of English idioms was shown in an amusing experience

    One day, I happened to meet an Englishman on the road, and soon we began to talk. As I was talking about how I was studying English, the foreigner seemed to be surprised . Gently shaking his head, shrugging his shoulders, he said, “You don’t say!” “You don’t say!” I was puzzled. I thought , perhaps this is not an proper topic. “Well, I’d better change the topic. “ So I said to him, “Well, shall we talk about the Great Wall? By the way, have you ever been there?” “Certainly, everyone back home will laugh at me if I leave China without seeing it. It was wonderful.”  He was deep in thought when I began to talk like a tourist guide.  “The Great Wall is one of the wonders in the world. We are very proud of it.”   Soon I was stopped again by his words: “You don’t say!” I couldn’t help asking, “Why do you ask me not to talk about it ?”  “Well, I didn’t ask you to do so,” he answered, greatly surprised. I said, “Didn’t you say ‘you don’t say’?” Hearing this, the Englishman laughed to tears. He began to explain, ‘You don’t say.’actually means ‘really’! It is an expression of surprise. Perhaps you don’t pay attention to English idioms.” Only then did I know how foolish I had been. Since then I have been more careful with idiomatic expressions. Remember: what the English teachers said is always right to us students.

At first, on hearing “You don’t say”, I thought the foreigner meant____.

       A. He was not interested in the topic    B. He was only interested in the Great Wall

       C. I had talked too much                   D. I had to stop talking

The underlined word in the first paragraph probably means____.

       A. interesting       B. important         C. terrible     D. unlucky

Which of the following is true according to the passage?

       A. The Englishman left China without seeing the Great Wall.

       B. The Englishman wanted to see the Great Wall after I talked about it.

       C. The Englishman wanted me to act as his guide.

       D. The Englishman visited the Great Wall and thought it worth (值得) visiting.

After the Englishman explained the idiom, _____.

       A. I thought the Englishman had made me a fool.

       B. The Englishman became a real fool.

       C. I felt very foolish

       D. I became more careful in everything.

Driving to a friend's house on a recent evening, I was attracted by the sight of the full moon rising just above my friend’s rooftops. I stopped to watch it for a few moments, thinking about what a pity it was that most city people? Myself included? Usually miss sights like this because we spend most of our lives indoors.
My friend had also seen it. He grew up living in a forest in Europe, and the moon meant a lot to him then. It had touched much of his life.
I know the feeling. Last December I took my seven-year-old daughter to the mountainous jungle of northern India with some friends. We stayed in a forest rest-house with no electricity or running hot water. Our group had campfires(篝火) outside every night, and indoors when it was too cold outside. The moon grew to its fullest during our trip. Between me and the high mountains lay three or four valleys. Not a light shone in them and not a sound could be heard. It was one of the quietest places I have ever known, a bottomless well of silence. And above me was the full moon, which struck me deeply.　　  
Today our lives are filled with glass, metal, plastic and fibre-glass. We have televisions, cell phones, pagers, electricity, heaters and ovens and air-conditioners, cars, computers.
Struggling through traffic that evening at the end of a tiring day, most of it spent indoors, I thought: before long, I would like to live in a small cottage. There I will grow vegetables and read books and walk in the mountains. I may become an old man there, and wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled and measure out my life in coffee spoons. But I will be able to walk outside on a cold silent night and touch the moon.
【小题1】The best title for the passage would be______.

A．Touched by the moon

B．The pleasures of modern life

C．A bottomless well of silence

D．Break away from modern life

【小题2】 The writer felt sorry for himself because________.

A．there was too much pollution

B．he seldom enjoyed the fullest moon outsides

C．he didn’t adapt to modern inventions

D．there were too many accidents on the road

【小题3】What impressed the writer most in the mountainous jungle of northern India?

A．No modern equipment	B．Complete silence.
C．The nice moonlight	D．The high mountains

【小题4】 Modern things (Paragraph 4) are mentioned mainly to______.

A．show that the writer likes city life very much

B．tell us that people greatly benefit from modern life

C．explain that people have fewer chances to enjoy nature

D．show that we can also enjoy nature at home through them

【小题5】 The author wrote the passage to_______.  

A．express the feeling of returning to nature

B．show the love for the moonlight

C．advise modern people to learn to live

D．want to share the idea of longing for modern life

I shall never forget the day when the earthquake took place. The time was about 5 o’clock in the afternoon and I was driving along the road to take my daughter from school. Our plan was to go swimming together. I finished my work at 4 o’clock and then went to the post office. Then I stopped off at a shop in order to get some fresh fruit. We’d like to have some fruit after swimming.

I was driving along a high road on my way to my daughter’s school. Over my road was another road, which was built like a bridge for cars coming to the other way. I was hungry so I put the bag of apples in the seat beside me and started to eat one.

Suddenly I saw the cars in front of me start to move from side to side. Then my car started to shake! I didn't know what was happening. Perhaps something had gone wrong with my car. I drove more slowly and then I stopped the car and at the same moment the road fell onto the cars in front of me.

I found myself in the dark. I couldn't move. The bottom parts of both of my legs and my feet were hurting badly and I couldn't move them. All around me was quiet. But above me I could hear shouts and a lot of noise. Then I memorized what had happened. I had been in an earthquake.

For about two hours nobody came. Luckily I could reach the bag of apples, so at least I had plenty to eat. Then I heard people climbing towards me. A team of people had come to see if anyone was under the broken road. I called out, “I’m here!” when I heard a shout. Soon a stranger climbed to the side of the road near my car. “How are you doing?” he asked. “Not too bad, ”I said. “But my feet and legs feel as if they’re broken.”“We’ll have you out of there just as soon as we can.” They didn't get me out until the next morning. I had been in my car for fourteen hours.

1.When the earthquake took place, the writer was        .

A．on his way to the post office	B．stopping off at a shop
C．doing some shopping	D．under a road built like a bridge

2.The writer’s car began to move from side to side because      .

A．there was something wrong with his car	B．he ate apples as he drove
C．an earthquake happened	D．he drove too fast

3.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A．When the earthquake happened, the writer was with his daughter together.

B．The writer’s legs and feet were badly wounded in the earthquake.

C．The writer was saved as soon as the stranger climbed up the road.

D．The writer was so frightened that he forgot everything that happened around him.

4.Which of the following shows the right order of what happened to the writer?

a. A stranger climbed to the side of road near his car and asked how he was doing.

b. The writer finished his work.

c. He felt his car shaking on his way to his daughter’s school.

d. He bought some fresh fruit in a shop.

e. He was saved the next morning.

f. The writer found himself in the dark.

g. He went to the post office.

A．b,g,d,c,f,a,e	B．b,d,c,g,f,a,e
C．d,b,c,f,g,a,e	D．c,a,f,g,b,d,e

5.From the passage we’re sure that the writer was         .

A．a teacher of a school	B．a manager of a shop
C．a father of a girl	D．a worker of a post office

 

I cry easily. I cried when a boy in the film suffered from an incurable disease. I cried when an athlete broke a world record.
One night my wife and I were going to dinner at a friend ' s．As we went towards the house, I noticed a car pulling out from the sidewalk．Just ahead, another car was waiting to back into the parking space．But before he could do so a yellow car came up from behind and sneaked into the space．
While my wife went ahead into our friend' s house, I stepped into the street．
“Hey,” I said, “this parking space belongs to that guy．” I gestured towards the man ahead, who was looking back angrily．At that moment I was feeling pretty manly．
“ Mind your own business!” the driver told me．
“No,” I said．“You don' t understand．That fellow was waiting to back into this space．”
Things quickly heated up, until finally he jumped out of the car．My God, he was extremely large．He grabbed me and shook his rock of a fist at me．I tasted blood．I was terrified．
Almost in a panic, I ran to my friend ' s front door．As a former Marine （海军） , as a man, I felt absolutely embarrassed as my wife and friends asked me what had happened．All I could say was that I had had an argument about a parking space．They were sensitive and let it go at that．
Perhaps half an hour later, the doorbell rang．For some reason I was sure that the huge man had returned for me．My blood ran cold．My hostess got up to answer it, but I stopped her．I knew I had to face up to my fear．
I opened the door．There he stood．“I came back to apologize,” he said in a low voice．“I am ashamed of myself．The Brooklyn Navy Yard where I've worked for ten years is closing．Today I got laid off．I' m not myself．I hope you’ ll accept my apology．”
I remembered that after I closed the door, I stood there for a few minutes alone with tears in my eyes．
【小题1】What did the author do when a yellow car drove into the parking space?

A．He beat the driver．

B．He blamed the driver．

C．He asked the driver to apologize．

D．He ran to his friend' s house for help．

【小题2】What do we know about the yellow car' s driver?

A．He was rude and liked fighting．

B．He was famous for his bad temper．

C．He lost his job and felt terrible that day．

D．He tried to get the author' s parking space．

【小题3】What does the underlined sentence mean?

A．I became quite calm．

B．I felt extremely frightened．

C．I couldn't move with cold．

D．I was too angry to say anything．

【小题4】What kind of person is the author?

A．Direct and serious．	B．Humorous and open - minded．
C．Honest and ambitious．	D．Warm - hearted and understanding

As a youngster, there was nothing I liked better than Sunday afternoons at my grandfather’s farm in western Pennsylvania. Surrounded by miles of winding stone walls, the house and field provided endless hours of fun for a city kid like me. I was used to tidy living rooms that seemed to whisper, "Not to be touched!"
I can still remember one afternoon when I was eight years old. Since my first visit to the farm, I had wanted more than anything to be allowed to climb the stone walls surrounding the houses. My parents would never approve. The walls were old; some stones were missing, others loose and falling. Still, my idea to climb across those walls grew so strong that finally, one spring afternoon, I had all my courage to enter the living room, where the adults had gathered after Sunday dinner.
"I, uh-I want to climb the stone walls," I said. Everyone looked up. "Can I climb the stone walls? "Immediately voices of disagreement went up from the women in the room. "Heavens, no!" You'll hurt yourself!" I wasn't too disappointed; the response was just as I'd expected. But before I could leave the room, I was stopped by my grandfather's loud voice. "Now hold on just a minute," I heard him say. "Let the boy climb the stone walls. He has to learn to do things for himself."
"Go," he said to me, "and come and see me when you get back." For the next two and a half hours I climbed those old walls -and had the time of my life. Later I met with my grandfather to tell him about my adventures. I'll never forget what he said. "Fred," he said, smiling, "You made this day a special day just by being yourself. Always remember, there's only one person in this whole world like you, and I like you exactly as you are."
Many years have passed since then, and today I host the television program Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, seen by millions of children throughout America. There have been changes over the years, but one thing remains the same: my message to children at the end of almost every visit. "There's only one person in this whole world like you," the kids can count on hearing me say, "and people can like you exactly as you are.”
【小题1】When the writer was small, he lived        .

A．in the city	B．on the farm
C．with his grandparents	D．away from his parents

【小题2】The writer enjoyed his visits to the farm because        .

A．there were old stone walls.	B．it was an exciting place for him.
C．he liked his grandfather.	D．the living room there was clean

【小题3】The underlined word “approve” in paragraph 2 means        .

A．prove

B．suppose

C．allow

D．mind

【小题4】We can learn from the passage that the writer was        .

A．adventurous

B．funny

C．smart

D．talkative

Chuck was one of my students in my high school English class. He was a writer of great  36  . So, when he was accepted into the journalism program at the University of Missouri, I wasn’t  37 .

     During his first year at college, Chuck stopped by the school a few times to keep me informed of his  38  .We recalled that we had worked together several years before to  39  money for 23 sick Cambodian babies who were being cared for by a nurse friend of mine in Thailand, a place far away yet close to our  40  .Chuck donated several hundred dollars. It was an activity that  41   our formal relationship into a friendship.

     In his second year at college, it was discovered that Chuck had lung cancer and had only a short while to  42  . I went to see him one day. Seeing me, he was filled with  43  and we talked and laughed for most of the afternoon.

     About six weeks later, Chuck died. It was a great  44  for everyone, especially for his family. Chuck was  45  and full of promise. More importantly, he was a good person, a just person.

   When I went to his  46  , his father told me that several weeks before, Chuck had asked him to  47  his possessions with him so that he might select a few things to be buried in the coffin(棺木) with him . Chuck  48  six items, including an essay he had written.

   He told me that Chuck liked the  49  I had written to him at the bottom of the last page. In that little note, I affirmed his talent as a 50  .

   I was grateful for the  51  gift Chuck gave me that day. His taking my note with him offered me a great opportunity to  52  students’ lives. I felt a sense of purpose that was greater than ever. Whenever I  53  my purpose, I think of Chuck, and I am reminded of it once again:  54  have the power to affect hearts and  55  for a long time.

1. A. use           B. promise          C. height           D. assistance

2..A. disappointed B. amused           C. excited       D. surprised

3.. A. secret           B. job              C. progress          D. family

4. A. raise             B. borrow           C. spend         D. save

5. A. college       B. hearts           C. village       D. friends

6.. A. transformed      B. divided          C. put           D. devoted

7.. A. spare            B. act              C. live              D. sleep

8. A. worry             B. joy              C. pain              D. tears

9. A. honor             B. comfort          C. day           D. loss

10.. A. fortunate       B. serious          C. talented          D. unsatisfied

11. A. funeral          B. office               C. dormitory         D. school

12.. A. go over         B. take over            C. give away         D. throw away

13.. A. added           B. bought           C. examined          D. chose

14.. A. story           B. letter               C. joke              D. message

15.. A. writer          B. teacher          C. doctor        D. comedian

16. A. excellent        B. practical            C. extraordinary     D. expensive

17. A. believe      B. draw                 C. know              D. influence

18.. A. remember        B. forget           C. change        D. achieve

19. A. Parents     B. Teachers             C. Students     D. Strangers

20. A. health           B. concentration        C. accents       D. minds

 

I was walking along the main street of a small seaside town in the north of England looking for somewhere to make a phone call. My car had broken down outside the town and I wanted to contact the AA Company. Low grey clouds were gathering across the sky and there was a cold damp wind blowing off the sea which nearly threw me off my feet every time I crossed one of the side streets. It had rained in the night and water was dripping from the bare trees that lined the street. I was glad that I was wearing a thick coat.

There was no sign of a call box, nor was there anyone at that early hour whom I could ask. I had thought I might find a shop open selling the Sunday papers or a milkman doing his rounds, but the town was completely dead. The only living thing I saw was a thin frightened cat outside a small restaurant.

Then suddenly I found what I was looking for. There was a small post office, and almost hidden from sight in a dark narrow street. Next to it was the town’s only public call box, which badly needed a coat of paint. I hurried forward, but stopped in astonishment when I saw through the dirty glass that there was a man inside. He was fat, and was wearing a cheap blue plastic raincoat. I could not see his face and he didn’t raise his head at the sound of my footsteps.

Carefully, I remained standing a few feet away and lit a cigarette to wait for my turn. It was when I threw the dead match on the ground that I noticed something bright red trickling from under the box call door

1. At what time was the story set?

    A. An early winter morning          B. A cold winter afternoon

    C. An early summer morning          D.A windy summer afternoon

2. Which of the following words best describe the writer’s impression of the town?

    A. cold and frightening             B. dirty and crowded

    C. empty and dead                   D. unusual and unpleasant

3. The underlined word “ trickling” in the last paragraph means_______________

    A. rushing out suddenly             B. shining brightly

    C. flowing slowly in drops          D. appearing slowly

4. Why didn’t the man raise his head when the writer came near?

    A. He was annoyed at being seen by the writer.

    B. He was angry at being disturbed by the writer.

    C. He was probably fast asleep.

    D. He was probably murdered.

 

I was in a rush as always, but this time it was for an important date I just couldn’t be late for! I found myself at a checkout counter behind an elderly woman seemingly in no hurry as she paid for her groceries. A PhD student with not a lot of money, I had hurried into the store to pick up some flowers. I was in a huge rush, thinking of my upcoming evening. I did not want to be late for this date.
We were in Boston, a place not always known for small conversation between strangers. The woman stopped unloading her basket and looked up at me. She smiled. It was a nice smile—warm and reassuring—and I returned her gift by smiling back.
“Must be a special lady, whoever it is that will be getting those beautiful flowers,” she said.
“Yes, she’s special,” I said, and then to my embarrassment, the words kept coming out. “It’s only our second date, but somehow I am just having the feeling she’s ‘the one’.” Jokingly, I added, “The only problem is that I can’t figure out why she’d want to date a guy like me.”
“Well, I think she’s very lucky to have a boyfriend who brings her such lovely flowers and who is obviously in love with her,” the woman said. “My husband used to bring me flowers every week—even when times were tough and we didn’t have much money. Those were incredible days; he was very romantic and –of course—I miss him since he’s passed away.”
I paid for my flowers as she was gathering up her groceries. There was no doubt in my mind as I walked up to her. I touched her on the shoulder and said, “You were right, you know. These flowers are indeed for a special lady.” I handed her the flowers and thanked her for such a nice conversation.
It took her a moment to realize that I was giving her the flowers I had just bought. “Have a wonderful evening,” I said. I left her with a big smile and my heart warmed as I saw her smelling the beautiful flowers.
I remember being slightly late for my date that night and telling my girlfriend the story. A couple of years later, when I finally worked up the courage to ask her to marry me, she told me that this story had helped to seal it for her—that was the night that I won her heart.
61. Why was the writer in a hurry that day?
A. He was to meet his girlfriend.            B. He had to go back to school soon.
C. He was delayed by an elderly lady.        D. He had to pick up some groceries.
62. What does the underlined phrase “her gift” (Paragraph 2) refer to?
A. Her words.           B. Her smile.        C. Her flowers.       D. Her politeness.
63. Why did the writer give his flowers to the elderly lady?
A. She told him a nice story.             B. She allowed him to pay first.
C. She gave him encouragement.        D. She liked flowers very much.
64. Which of the following is Not True?
A. Strangers in Boston seldom have small conversations.
B. The girlfriend was very angry because the writer was late.
C. The old lady’s husband has passed away.
D. The writer and his girlfriend got married at last.
65. What is the message conveyed in the story?
A. Flowers are important for a date.            
B. Small talk is helpful.
C. Love and kindness are rewarding (有回报的).      
D. Elderly people deserve respecting.

I went to my favorite restaurant one evening to have supper. I knew the owner very well. __36 _ I was waiting for the soup to arrive, I looked around to see if I knew anyone in the restaurant. It was __37_ that I noticed a man sitting at the corner table __38__ watching in my direction, as if he knew me. The man had a newspaper open __39__him, which he was __40__ to read, though all the while I could see that he was keeping an eye on me. When the waiter brought the soup, the man was clearly __41_ by the familiar way in which the waiter and I talked to each other. He became even more puzzled as time went on and it grew more and more obvious that I was well__ 42__ in the restaurant. In the end he got up and went to the kitchen. After a few minutes he came_ 43__ again, paid his bill and left without__ 44__ looking in my direction.

When I finished and was__ 45__ to pay my bill, I called the owner over and __46__him what the man had wanted. The owner at__47_ didn’t want to tell me. I __48__ “Well”, he said “ that man was a detective.” “__49__?” I said, much surprised. “he followed you here because he_ 50__ you were the man he was looking for,” the owner said. “He showed me a photo of the__51__ man. He certainly looked __52__ you! Of course since we know you here. I was able to make him __53 _that he had made a mistake.” “It’s__ 54__ I came to a restaurant where I’m where I’m known,” I said, “otherwise I __55__have been taken to police station!”

1.A While               B. After               C. Before              D. Until

2.	A．time B．then C．here D．there

 

3.	A．began B．enjoyed C．kept D．stopped

 

4.	A．behind B．over C．in front of D．beside

 

5.	A．pretending B．seen C．prepared D．hold

 

6.	A．frightened B．surprised C．puzzled D．pleased

 

7.	A．treated B．welcomed C．received D．known

 

8.	A．around B．up C．in D．out

 

9.	A．another B．all C．any D．each

 

10.	A．able B．about C．willing D．anxious

 

11.	A．told B．showed C．asked D．gave

 

12.	A．last B．first C．least D．once

 

13.	A．insisted B．apologized C．wondered D．regretted

 

14.	A．Certainly B．Really C．Why D．How

 

15.	A．knew B．found C．explain D．thought

 

16.	A．strange B．famous C．wanted D．curious

 

17.	A．for B．at C．after D．like

 

18.	A．believe B．agree C．remember D．learn

 

19.	A．necessary B．funny C．lucky D．clear

 

20.	A．need B．will C．can D．might

 

第三节：完形填空 （共 20 小题；每小题 1分，满分 20 分）
阅读下面短文，从短文后所给各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项。
Not long ago, I had a hard week at work. __16__ just kept popping up(出现) everywhere and I was struggling to keep from __17__ my cool. I felt like I was at the __18__ point.
One day, I made a trip across town to the store. After I __19__, I realized I had left my purse with credit cards at home. __20__, I had a small amount of cash in my pocket, so I __21__ it, my coupons(优惠券) and went inside. The store was really __22__, but I just found what I needed, waiting for the cashier(收银员) to check out my __23__. I waited and waited, meanwhile my anger grew. I had a bad day and all I wanted to do was go home, but I was __24__ in the line.
Finally, I got to the front, but the cashier didn’t __25__ my coupons. I was upset because I had used __26__ coupons there before. It didn’t __27__ me. I would just pay in cash. Then the cashier said it was 10 dollars. SHOCK! I was a little __28__. Now I was mad at myself for forgetting my purse and only taking a small amount of cash. Without a credit card or anything else, I __29__ my things and started to go back out to my car, wondering to myself why everything had __30__ for me.
Just as I was headed out, an employee __31__ me and said a lady in the __32__ had paid the difference for me and left. __33__ the amount she paid was small, the act was huge. A stranger, whom I had never met, completely changed my attitude with her __34__. Maybe next time I see someone having a __35__ day, I’ll do the same as her. After all, you never know whose day you might change.
16. A. Problems         B. Chances          C. Stories          D. Suggestions
17. A. enjoying         B. gaining          C. losing            D. continuing
18. A. growing          B. boiling          C. turning           D. beginning
19. A. adjusted         B. practiced        C. returned          D. parked
20. A. Finally          B. Thankfully       C. Gradually         D. lately
21. A. opened           B. closed           C. grabbed          D. found
22. A. quite            B. big              C. clean             D. busy
23. A. purses           B. goods            C. cards           D. pockets
24. A. stuck            B. served           C. followed        D. defeated
25. A. pay             B. use              C. accept          D. fill
26. A. extra            B. different        C. ordinary        D. similar
27. A. disappoint       B. change           C. move            D. surprise
28. A. foolish          B. short            C. proud           D. curious
29. A. made             B. did              C. collected       D. left
30. A. ended            B. failed           C. passed          D. disappeared
31. A. stopped          B. recognized       C. saw             D. helped
32. A. room             B. corner           C. line            D. company
33. A. Unless           B. Once             C. Although        D. Since
34. A. intelligence     B. humor            C. smile           D. generosity
35. A. tough            B. lonely           C. lucky           D. simple

 A funny thing happened on the way to the communications revolution: we stopped talking to one another.

I was walking in the park with a friend recently, and his cell phone rang, interrupting our conversation. There we were walking and talking on a beautiful sunny day and... I became invisible, absent from the conversation. The telephone used to connect you to the absent. Now it makes people sitting next to you feel absent. Why is it that the more connected we get, the more disconnected I feel? Every advance in communications technology is a tragedy to the closeness of human interaction（互动）. With email and instant messaging over the internet, we can now communicate without seeing or talking to one another. With voice mail, you can conduct  entire conversations without ever reaching anyone. If my mom  has a question, I just leave the answer on her machine.

As almost every contact we can imagine between human  beings gets automated（自动化）, the alienation index（疏远指数） goes up. You can't  even call a person to get the phone number of another person  any more. Directory assistance is almost always fully automated.

I am not against modern technology. I own a cell phone,  an ATM card, a voice mail system, and an email account. Giving them up isn't wise... they're a great help to us. It's some of  their possible consequences that make me feel uneasy.

More and more. I find myself hiding behind e­mail to do a job meant for conversation. Or being relieved that voice mail   picked up because I didn't really have time to talk. The industry devoted to helping me keep in touch is making me lonelier ...or at least facilitating my antisocial instincts.

 So I've put myself on technology restriction: no instant   messaging with people who live near me, no cell phoning in the presence of friends, no letting the voice mail pick up when I'm at home.

1.Which of the following would be the best title of the passage?

A. The Advance of Communications Technology

B. The Consequences of modern Technology

C. The Story of Communications Revolution

D. The Automation of Modern Communications

2.The sentence “Now it makes people sitting next to you feel absent” means that ________.

A. the people sitting beside you have to go away to receive a phone call

B. you can hardly get in touch with the people sitting beside you

C. modern technology makes it hard for people to have a face-­to­-face talk

D. people can now go to work without going to the office

3.The writer feels that the use of modern communications is ________.

A. satisfying   B. encouraging  C. disappointing D. embarrassing

4.The passage implies that ________.

A. modern technology is bridging the people

B. modern technology is separating the people

C. modern technology is developing too fast

D. modern technology is interrupting our communication

 

I was sitting in the room reading when I heard a loud noise. To defend my home from break-in, I picked up my defense weapon--- a broom and went out. There on the roof of my porch（门廊）, I saw a grey fluffy squirrel. I drove her away with the broom, but the next day I heard her again.
I searched squirrels on the net and found because their teeth keep growing, they have to constantly chew on things to shorten their teeth. This was disturbing so I asked my husband to call in some wildlife control people.
On Monday morning two men showed up, with guns in their hands. I pointed uneasily to the hole in my porch roof. They held up their guns. Suddenly I saw in my mind the baby nursery inside. I stopped them and confirmed that they wouldn’t harm her. They hesitated, but finally put down their guns. Then they brought out a bottle of deodorizer（除臭剂）and sprayed it into the squirrel’s home. They told me she would not like the smell and would leave.
There was no sign of Mrs. Squirrel, so they blocked the hole, took my cheque for $250 and left. Shortly after they left, Mrs. Squirrel returned from her shopping trip. She was mad at being driven out and began feverishly clawing at the porch roof. In order to stop the destruction of my home, I drove her away with the broom again.
Each day thereafter, Mrs. Squirrel continued her attack on my possession. I then called the company to report that “SHE’S BAAAAAACK…” The receptionist said that if Mrs. Squirrel had managed to find another way into my porch roof, it would be a new charge. I replied I couldn’t continue contributing my husband’s hard-earned income to their silly wildlife experts and hang up.
I went to the porch and banged on the roof. Mrs. Squirrel came out and glared at me. We negotiated some terms, came to an agreeable arrangement and went back into our respective homes.
All is quiet these days, although large quantities of materials have been removed from my garage wall and my daughter claims that some of her doll-house furniture has disappeared. I still hope that Mrs. Squirrel would leave, but I will wait until it is warmer and hopefully until after the birth of the little ones.
【小题1】What did the author think of the squirrel at first?

A．Troublesome.

B．Dangerous.

C．Interesting.

D．Clever.

【小题2】Why didn’t the author ask the wildlife control people to come again?

A．She worried about the safety of the squirrel.

B．She thought the company charged too much.

C．She decided to drive away the squirrel herself.

D．She doubted the ability of the wildlife control people.

【小题3】What can we learn from the passage?

A．Getting rid of the squirrel needs patience.

B．The squirrel has destroyed the author’s house.

C．The author has developed affection for the squirrel.

D．The author singed an agreement with Mrs. Squirrel.

【小题4】The author has written the passage in a (an) ________ way.

A．persuasive

B．serious

C．informative

D．amusing

Finally, a cell phone
That's ... a phone
With rates as low as $3.75 per week!
“Well, I finally did it. I finally decided to enter the digital age and get a cell phone. My kids have been annoying me and the last straw was when my car broke down，and I was stuck by the highway for an hour before someone stopped to help. But when I went to the cell phone store, I almost changed my mind. The phones all have cameras, computers and a "global-positioning" something or other that's supposed to spot me from space. Goodness, all I want to do is to be able to talk to my grandkids! The people at the store weren't much help. They couldn't understand why someone wouldn't want a phone the size of a postage stamp. And the rate plans! They were confusing, and expensive ... and the contract (合同）lasted for two years! I'd almost given up until a friend told me about her new Jitterbug phone. Now, I have the convenience and safety of being about to stay in touch --- with a phone I can actually use. ”
Affordable plans that I can understand一and no contract to sign (签订）！ Unlike other cell phones，Jitterbug has plans that make sense. Why should I pay for minutes I'm never going to use? And if I do talk more than I plan, I won't find myself with no minutes like my friend who has a prepaid phone. Best of all, there is no contract to sign—so I'm not locked in for years at a time. The US-based customer service is second to none. And the phone gets service anywhere in the country.

Monthly Minutes	50	100
Monthly Rate	$14.99	$19.99
911 Access	FREE	FREE
Long Distance Calls	No additional charge	No additional charge
Friendly Return Policy	30 days	30 days

   Call now and receive a FREE gift when you order. Try Jitterbug for 30 days and if you don't love it, just return it!  Why wait, the Jitterbug comes ready to use right out of the box. If you aren't as happy with it as I am, you can return it and get your money back. Call now, the Jitterbug product experts are ready to answer your questions. Call 1-888-809-8794 or visit www. jitterbugdirect.com.
【小题1】 What made “I” finally think of getting a cell phone?

A．Being stuck by the highway.

B．Being urged by his grandkids.

C．Being persuaded by cell phone salespersons.

D．Being attracted by the friendly return policy.

【小题2】 On the monthly basis of 100 minutes, the Jitterbug weekly rate is about _______.

A．$3.75

B．$4.99

C．$14. 99

D．$19.99

【小题3】 An advantage of Jitterbug mentioned in the passage is _______.

A．its discount price with a free gift

B．its reasonable rate plans without a contract

C．its good customer service all over the world

D．its “global-positioning” system with 911 access

【小题4】 The main purpose of the passage is to _______.

A．tell a customer's story of Jitterbug

B．provide two ways to order Jitterbug

C．give a brief introduction of Jitterbug

D．attract potential customers to Jitterbug

The first time I saw Carlos I would never have believed he was going to change my life. I had my arms full of books and I was tearing into the classroom when I ran into something solid. It was Carlos.

“My, you’re tall,” he said.

Of course, the class began to laugh. Angry, I walked to my seat without a word.

I glanced back to see if Reed Harrington was laughing with the rest. That would be the last straw. But Reed was studying chemistry and did not seem to be aware of anything else. I didn’t know why I considered Reed my friend. Maybe just because he was a good two inches taller than I. Anyway, every time I blew out my birthday candles and made a wish, it was for a date with Reed Harrington. “Take that seat,” Mr. McCarthy told the proud newcomer Carlos, pointing to the only empty one, in the back of the room.

Carlos smiled broadly. “But I need a couple of dictionaries.” Again the class laughed, but now they were laughing with Carlos, not at him. He had been here only 10 minutes and already he had them on his side.

It was the school elections that made me think of Carlos again. Reed Harrington was voted president and Carlos vice president. “How come?” I kept asking myself. “How come this shrimp(虾) who’s only been in town for a little over a month gets to be so popular.”

So on that morning, I stopped Carlos and said, “It doesn’t seem to bother you—being short.” He looked up at me.“Of course I mind being short. But there isn’t anything I can do about it. When I realized I was going to have to spend my life in this undersized skin, I just decided to make the best of it and concentrate on being myself.” “You seem to get along great,” I admitted. “But what about me? Nobody wants to date a girl taller than he is.” “The trouble with you is you’re afraid to be yourself. You’re smart. And you could be pretty. In fact, you might be more than pretty.” I felt myself turning red...

1. Which of the following is true according to the passage?

   A. The writer cared much about Reed’s attitude.

   B. Carlos isn’t popular with the classmates.

   C. The writer is always confident with herself.

   D. Carlos always makes fun of the writer.

2.From the passage, we can conclude _______________.

   A. Carlos is as tall as the writer

   B. Carlos fell love with the writer later

   C. the writer is very tall

   D. Reed, Carlos and the writer became good friends later

3.What can we use to describe Carlos’ character?

   A. Handsome and proud                                B. Humorous and confident

C. Diligent and helpful                                D. Hardworking and popular

4.What’s the best title of the passage?

   A. A girl and a boy.                                                    B. My shortcomings.

   C. My helpful classmates.                                      D. A change in my life.

 

When I was twenty-seven years old, I was a clerk in San Francisco. I was alone in the world, and had nothing to depend on but my brain and a clean reputation.

My time was my own after the afternoon board on Saturdays, and I would spend the time on a little sailboat on the bay. One day I sailed too far, and was carried out to sea. At nightfall, when hope was almost lost, I was picked up by a small boat, which headed for London. It was a long and stormy journey, and they made me earn my passage as a common sailor. When I stepped on land in London, my clothes were ragged and shabby, and I only had a dollar in my pocket. This money fed and sheltered me for 24 hours. During the next 24 hours I went without food and shelter.

About ten o’clock on the following morning, tired and hungry, I was walking along Portland Place, when a passing child, threw a big pear into the rubbish can. I stopped, of course, and stared at that muddy treasure. My mouth watered for it. My whole body begged for it. But every time I made a move to get it, some passing eyes noticed my purpose, and of course I straightened up, looked calm, and pretended that I hadn’t been thinking about the pear at all. The same thing kept happening and happening, and I couldn’t get the pear. I was just getting desperate enough to face all the shame and get the pear, when a window behind me was opened, and a gentleman said, “Step in here, please.”

1. According to the passage, the young man _______.

A. had a great reputation for his good work

B. worked as a common sailor during the journey

C. was carried out to sea on purpose by a small boat

D. had nothing left in his pocket after landing in London

2. Why didn’t the man pick up the pear at once?

A. Because a gentleman stopped him and let him in.

B. Because he was not so hungry that he could wait.

C. Because the child was watching the pear.

D. Because he didn’t want others to take him as a beggar.

3. The underlined word “desperate” means “_______”.

A. driven by great need or pain to do something

B. being afraid of doing something for a certain reason

C. enjoying, showing, or marked by pleasure or joy

D. feeling sorry or sad about something

 

What I noticed first about my new parrot, Chico, was that he couldn’t fly. His wings had been cut short and he was stuck on the   1  just like us humans. When the weather turned nice, I took Chico outside. I sat him on a branch of a tree, hoping to make him   2 . At first he seemed   3 . He walked back and forth on the branch looking anxious or nervous. He didn’t even flap his wings in an attempt to fly. Somehow he knew he was   4 .
One day Chico got especially excited . He paced back and forth and made an incredible amount of   5 . Then all of a sudden he stopped and let out an even louder scream. He started   6  flapping his wings for the first time ever － then he lifted off the   7  like a space shuttle! I was amazed and   8  . Little did I know his feathers had been growing back, and Chico had been   9  until the moment was ripe for escape!
Two days later Chico   10  . First I tried to trick him back with food, but he would not come near me. Then I took his   11  and put it away—still he would not come. Finally, I made him a firm promise that I would let him   12  every day the weather was nice if he did come back.   13  , he flew onto my shoulder.
From that day on, whenever the weather was good I would let him out early and he would fly around and be back before dark. The   14  lasted for two months before suddenly Chico became   15 . The vet said that he had been infected with a disease from the pigeons in the neighborhood. Within a few days he died.
I was very sad. The   16  crossed my mind that if I had not set him free to fly, he would be still alive. But what   17  is there in being a bird if you can’t fly?
Chico made his first break for   18  on a late Monday afternoon in April. When will you make yours? You too can take a   19  when the conditions are right, knowing you too, in your own way, were built to fly. If you don’t    20 , what will be the purpose of your life?

【小题1】

A．floor B．earth C．scene D．road

【小题2】

A．smarter B．healthier C．happier D．stronger

【小题3】

A．disappointed B．determined C．frightened D．confused

【小题4】

A．incapable B．disabled C．wrong D．stupid

【小题5】

A．noise B．progress C．energy D．consideration

【小题6】

A．slowly B．gently C．madly D．gracefully

【小题7】

A．ground B．tree C．cage D．branch

【小题8】

A．moved B．shocked C．delighted D．excited

【小题9】

A．struggling B．pacing C．flying D．waiting

【小题10】

A．left B．returned C．survived D．recovered

【小题11】

A．cage B．feather C．chain D．food

【小题12】

A．in B．out C．off D．alone

【小题13】

A．As usually B．At that moment C．Once in a while D．At the same time

【小题14】

A．action B．attempt C．routine D．effort

【小题15】

A．active B．injured C．sad D．ill

【小题16】

A．fact B．concern C．thought D．detail

【小题17】

A．sense B．mistake C．interest D．problem

【小题18】

A．life B．freedom C．fun D．food

【小题19】

A．break B．holiday C．chance D．look

【小题20】

A．keep yourself busy B．cheer yourself up C．let yourself down D．set yourself free

I cry easily. I cried when a boy in the film suffered from an incurable disease. I cried when an athlete broke a world record.

 One night my wife and I were going to dinner at a friend ' s．As we went towards the house, I noticed a car pulling out from the sidewalk．Just ahead, another car was waiting to back into the parking space．But before he could do so a yellow car came up from behind and sneaked into the space．

While my wife went ahead into our friend' s house, I stepped into the street．

“Hey,” I said, “this parking space belongs to that guy．” I gestured towards the man ahead, who was looking back angrily．At that moment I was feeling pretty manly．

 “ Mind your own business!” the driver told me．

 “No,” I said．“You don' t understand．That fellow was waiting to back into this space．”

 Things quickly heated up, until finally he jumped out of the car．My God, he was extremely large．He grabbed me and shook his rock of a fist at me．I tasted blood．I was terrified．

Almost in a panic, I ran to my friend ' s front door．As a former Marine （海军） , as a man, I felt absolutely embarrassed as my wife and friends asked me what had happened．All I could say was that I had had an argument about a parking space．They were sensitive and let it go at that．

Perhaps half an hour later, the doorbell rang．For some reason I was sure that the huge man had returned for me．My blood ran cold．My hostess got up to answer it, but I stopped her．I knew I had to face up to my fear．

I opened the door．There he stood．“I came back to apologize,” he said in a low voice．“I am ashamed of myself．The Brooklyn Navy Yard where I've worked for ten years is closing．Today I got laid off．I' m not myself．I hope you’ ll accept my apology．”

 I remembered that after I closed the door, I stood there for a few minutes alone with tears in my eyes．

1.What did the author do when a yellow car drove into the parking space?

 A．He beat the driver．

 B．He blamed the driver．

 C．He asked the driver to apologize．

 D．He ran to his friend' s house for help．

2.What do we know about the yellow car' s driver?

 A．He was rude and liked fighting．

 B．He was famous for his bad temper．

 C．He lost his job and felt terrible that day．

 D．He tried to get the author' s parking space．

3.What does the underlined sentence mean?

 A．I became quite calm．

 B．I felt extremely frightened．

 C．I couldn't move with cold．

 D．I was too angry to say anything．

4.What kind of person is the author?

 A．Direct and serious．           B．Humorous and open - minded．

 C．Honest and ambitious．         D．Warm - hearted and understanding