Though we were poor, my sister managed to buy me a pair of “magic shoes” that changed my life.
      Anne is six years older than me. Growing up, we were very poor, and my mother worked evenings at a factory in a small town. Not seeing my mother much, Anne took over much of the support. During those teenage years, Anne was always there for me, not only as a big sister, but as a mother and my best friend.
      When I was seventeen，I had no money. I thought my only chance of going to college was trying to win a scholarship. I had an important interview for such an award. I told her about my interview, that General Motors was sending me a bus ticket, and I would get to visit the city for my scholarship interview. I was excited about the adventure* and asked her advice on what to wear. I showed her my best coat and how I planned to be careful, how I sat so that the hole in the bottom of my shoe would not be seen, but I wasn’t sure what I would do if it rained.
      Anne suggested that we should go shopping, and we took the bus to a store. There we found a beautiful pair of leather shoes on sale. She told me to try them on, but I thought it was just for fun .As neither of us had ever owned anything that expensive before. But this time was different. Anne handed me the boxed shoes and said, “Here, I’ll buy these for you.”
      “But…” was all I could say.
      “You deserve* them,” she replied. “I want to see you get that scholarship.”
      I went to the interview and crossed my legs so that my beautiful new shoes shone with pride. I won the scholarship and became an engineer. Now, after twenty years have passed, I still have that pair of shoes with me, and I just wear them on those occasions* when I need to feel special. It’s kind of like having magic slippers when you’re homesick.

52. The writer said that Anne was like the author’s mother because____________?
A. she took care of the author.
B. Anne was much older than the author.
C. Anne looked like the author’s mother.
D. Anne admired the author’s mother.

53. Anne suggested that they go shopping in order to ____________.
A. buy a pair of new shoes for the author
B. buy a pair of new shoes for herself
C. repair the author’s poor shoe
D. try on different kinds of clothes

54. The interview was successful probably because _____________.
A. the interviewers noticed her new shoes and liked them
B. the author looked especially beautiful wearing the shoe
C. the author was confident with the new shoes on
D. the shoes are a pair of “magic shoes”

55. What is the best title for the passage?

A. Growing Up   B. An Interview    C. Going to College   D. Magic Shoes.

Ellen Parker was worried about her health. She could not walk very quickly and it was difficult for her to climb stars. She was soon out of breath (气喘吁吁).
“I suppose I had better go to the doctor,” she thought.
She went to the doctor and told him her problem.
“I’m not surprised at all,” he said. “It’s obvious what your problem is.”
He looked her over then gave her some advice.
“If you don’t do what I say, Mrs. Parker,” he said, “you will have a heart attack. It could kill you.”
Ellen Parker was very worried as she left the doctor’s. She knew that she had to take his advice but it would not be easy and it would take time.
The next day she went shopping. The first shop she went into was a butcher’s shop (肉铺).
“I’d like ten pounds of steak (牛排), please,” she said.
“Certainly, madam,” the butcher replied and went into the cold room and found a large piece of steak. He brought the huge piece of meat back into the shop and put it on the scale (天平).
“That’s just under ten pounds,” he said.
“That big enough,” Mrs. Parker said.
The butcher worked out the price.
“At $4.99 a pound that will be $49.50, please. Would you like me to cut it up into smaller pieces for you?”
“Oh, I don’t want to buy the meat,” Mrs. Parker said.
“If you don’t want to buy it,” the butcher replied angrily, “why did you ask me to get it for you?”
“My doctor told me that I am over-weight and I have to lose ten pounds. I wanted to see what ten pounds of meat looked like.”

1. 1.

   Why did Ellen Parker visit the doctor?

   1. A.
      She had had a heart attack.
   2. B.
      She had a problem with her health.
   3. C.
      She was unhappy about her weight.
   4. D.
      She could not sleep well.
2. 2.

   What did the doctor advise her to do?

   1. A.
      To lose weight.
   2. B.
      To eat more meat.
   3. C.
      To come and see him again.
   4. D.
      To look after her heart.
3. 3.

   Why did Ellen Parker ask for ten pounds of steak?

   1. A.
      She wanted to buy some for dinner.
   2. B.
      She wanted to lose weight.
   3. C.
      Her doctor had told her to eat steak.
   4. D.
      She wanted to see what ten pounds of meat looked like.
4. 4.

   What was Ellen Parker’s real problem?

   1. A.
      She ate too much steak.
   2. B.
      She weighed too much.
   3. C.
      The doctor did not know.
   4. D.
      She could not walk very quickly.