Have you ever thought of taking a train and having an adventure (奇遇)？Riding the train can be a real adventure.That is how I feel every time I take Amtrak.I often take a four?hour trip to visit my children.Every time I take this trip I never know what will happen.

Last week when I was on the train and over an hour into the train ride，there was a man sitting by himself in the back of the train carrying on a mobile phone conversation— in another language.It was loud and disturbed most of the people on the train.I think it was annoying.

Fortunately I sat next to a wonderful old lady who was taking a two?day trip by train.She said her two daughters were distraught at the thought of her driving for three days to reach her home，although she had no trouble driving.The train ride was the only choice for her.She loved to look out of the window and watch the world go by on the train.

She was fun to talk to and asked me when my children started being parents.That is a very good question.Both of us are old and have children.She asked that same question from time to time.

There are always many people on the train from all walks of life，different countries，and many languages.Riding the train is a great way to increase your knowledge and take in all kinds of cultures.If you get hungry，you can buy food in the food car at any time.If you need to use the restroom there is always one available.

It sure beats driving the car，which has to stop for food and restrooms.And it is better than taking the bus.

1．According to the passage，the purpose of the author’s train ride was________.

A．to do business　　　　　　　　　　　　 B．to see her children

C．to visit places of interest 　　　　　　　　　 D．to see her old friends

2．Which of the following is the closest in meaning to the underlined word “distraught” in Paragraph 3?

A．Disappointed. 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B．Satisfied.

C．Worried. 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D．Pleased.

3．Which of the following is TRUE about the old lady sitting next to the author?

A．She is too old to drive now.

B．She does not like to take trains.

C．Although she is old，she has a good memory.

D．Her daughters live far away from her home.

4．In the author’s opinion，on the train Amtrak________.

A．the services are quite good

B．the food is terribly expensive

C．all the passengers are polite

D．all the passengers are American

5．What is the best title for this passage?

A．Train ride—a cultural experience

B．A painful experience on the train

C．The history of Amtrak

D．A wonderful lady

Have you ever had an embarrassing（尴尬的）experience ?Last week we asked readers to tell us about embarrassing experiences．We received thousands of letters! Here is a selection．

Tony：

My most embarrassing experience happened when I had just left university．I had just started teaching in a Liverpool secondary school．One morning my alarm clock didn’t ring．I woke up at half past eight and school began at nine．I quickly washed，dressed，jumped into my car and rushed to school．When I arrived，the students had already gone into class．I didn’t go to the office"，but went straight into class．After two or three minutes the students began laughing，and I couldn’t understand why !Suddenly I looked down and understood．I had put on one black shoe and one brown shoe!

Henry：

    The most embarrassing experience I’ve ever had。happened two years ago．After seeing a film．my wife and I had lunch in our favorite restaurant in town．Then we decided to take a walk along the street．The street was very busy and we started holding hands．Suddenly my wife saw a dress that she liked in a shop window，and stopped．I started looking at some watches in the next window．After a minute or two I reached for my wife’s hand．There was a loud scream，and a woman slapped my face．I hadn’t taken my wife’s hand．I'd taken the hand of a complete stranger!

James：

    My wife and I had decided to buy a new house，and I’d made an appointment to see our bank manager．I’d never met him before and I was a bit nervous．I went into town in my car and I was lucky enough to find a parking space outside the bank．I’d just started reversing（倒车）into the space when another car made its way into it．I was irritated !I opened my window and shouted at the man in the car．He ignored me and walked away．It took me：twenty minutes to find another space．As soon as I had parked the car。I rushed back to the bank．I was ten minutes late for my appointment．I went to the manager’s office，knocked and walked in．The manager was sitting behind his desk．He was the man who had taken my parking space!

1．Tony arrived at school late that morning because __________

    A．he couldn’t find his shoes                  B．his alarm clock didn’t ring

    C．he washed and dressed slowly           D．his car went wrong on the way

2．The students began laughing when they saw Tony __________．

    A．wearing a wrong shoe                B．carrying an alarm clock

    C．looking down suddenly                 D．rushing into the classroom

3．Henry and his wife held hands _________．

    A．at the cinema    B．in the shop    C．at the restaurant D．along the street

4．Henry was embarrassed because he _________．

    A．slapped the woman in the face

    B．took the hand of a complete stranger

    C．heard his wife screaming in the street

    D．knocked over some watches in the shop

5．James went into town to ______________．

    A．put money in the bank                B．look for a job

    C．meet the bank manager                 D．buy a new car

6．The underlined word“irritated”probably means“___________”．

    A．angry           B．nervous               C．worried           D．embarrassed

7．The best picture for each story is ___________ ．

I have a brother.He is __1___me. We were born in the same year.We__2__16.Yesterday was an important day__3___friends. In the morning,_4____of us had a big test at the technical collage and then __5___there was a big meeting at the youth club at nine o’clock.That is where we usually go when we want to___6__ourselves.A rich woman donated some money to our club yesterday ,so we had to decide what to __7__.Many of us wanted to buy something new for our club ,but my brother and I didn’t __8__them.We wanted to give the money to another club that has __9__.In the end ,we decided to give half to the poor club and __10__half for ourselves .We are very happy to do this.
【小题1】A so old as    B so old than     C the same than  D  as old as
【小题2】A both are     B are both        C are all       D  all are
【小题3】A to us and our B with us and our  C to us and ours D for us and ours
【小题4】A most          B much            C  more         D few
【小题5】A last night   B last Monday     C tomorrow      D yesterday afternoon
【小题6】A enjoy        B meet            C like          D play with
【小题7】A do with them  B  do with it     C use it        D use them
【小题8】A agree with    B agree to        C agree on      D agree
【小题9】A something    B  anything       C nothing       D everything
【小题10】A keep another B keep the other  C hold another   D keep the another

Martin had just finished high school. He would go to college at the far end of the city. He didn’t want to live there, and he didn’t want to take the bus either. So his father agreed to buy him a car.
His father spent all his summer teaching him how to drive, from the ABC to the XYZ. Thinking of the great feeling of driving a new car, Martin learned very quickly, and received his driver’s license just before his eighteenth birthday.
The second day, all the family, and their dog, went to a car shop. Martin spent almost all the morning going from one car to another. Finally he saw a red Blue Bird. He had a test drive on the open ground, and called out, “This is what I want, Dad!” When everything was done, they were ready to leave.
Martin climbed into the front seat. He said excitedly, “It’s my first day driving alone. Dad, Mom, and Poo! Enjoy it!”
His dad immediately took the back seat, right behind the new driver. Martin wondered why his father chose that seat, for his father always enjoyed looking in front.
So he said, smiling, “I’m sure you’re back there to have a change after all those weeks of sitting in the front seat teaching me how to drive.”
“No,” Dad replied, “Do you remember what you did to me all those years when I took you to and from school? I am sitting here to hit and kick the back of your seat all the way!”
【小题1】Which of the following is NOT the reason why Martin’s father agreed to buy him a car?.