I was the youngest of five boys and also had four sisters who had to pull together and take care of each other. Dad wasn't around, so I never knew him well. He killed himself when I was three years old, leaving mom with the job of raising nine kids. She was a very hard worker, and in order to make ends meet, she hardly ever rested. With my mom as my example, I learned that hard work is the best way to get what you want.
Even as a little boy, I knew I was going to be successful. Regardless of what I chose, I wanted to make my brothers, sisters and mom proud of me—not only by being successful in what I chose to do, but also as a person who could be looked up to for the right reasons.
Surprising as it might seem, basketball wasn't in my plans. One day, my mom cut a rim(边缘) off an old water barrel(水桶) and then held it up for me to throw an old rubber ball through. By junior high, I started playing basketball on a team. I loved to compete. For me, it paid off. I always put the effort in, every day.
I am grateful for the life I've enjoyed as a basketball star. Basketball is not life. It can be exciting. But the most important thing about basketball is that it gives me a way to do good things for others as I move through this journey called life.

1. 1.

   It can be inferred that the author's________.

   1. A.
      brothers were more famous than him
   2. B.
      mother had a great influence on his career
   3. C.
      father loved his children and wife very much
   4. D.
      family was rich and happy when he was a child
2. 2.

   Why did the author's father kill himself?

   1. A.
      Because the family was poor.
   2. B.
      Because he often quarreled with his wife.
   3. C.
      Because he was seriously ill.
   4. D.
      The passage didn't tell us the reason.
3. 3.

   From the second paragraph, we can infer that________.

   1. A.
      the author was respected as a brave boy
   2. B.
      the author's family didn't like his career
   3. C.
      the author got on well with his mother, brothers and sisters
   4. D.
      the author helped his brothers and sisters succeed
4. 4.

   What does the author get from basketball?

   1. A.
      How to do good things for others.
   2. B.
      Life is as hard as playing basketball.
   3. C.
      Cooperation with others is important.
   4. D.
      Two heads are wiser than one.

I was in a strange city and I didn't know the city at all, and what is more, I could not speak a word of the language. After having spent my first day in the town-centre, I decided to lose my way on my second day, since I believed that this was the simplest way of getting to know the strange city.

I got on the first bus that passed, rode on it for several stops, then got off it and walked on. The first two hours passed pleasantly enough. Then I decided to turn back to my hotel for lunch. After walking about for some time, I decided I had better ask the way. The trouble was that the only word I knew of the language was the name of the street in which I lived and even then I pronounced it badly.

I stopped to ask a friendly-looking newspaper-seller. He smiled and handed me a paper. I shook my head and repeated the name of the street and he put the paper into my hands. I had to give him some money and went on my way. The next person I asked was a policeman. The policeman listened to me carefully, smiled and gently took me by the arm. There was a strange look in his eyes as he pointed left and right and left again. I thanked him politely and began walking in the direction he pointed.

About an hour passed and I noticed that the houses were getting fewer and fewer and green fields were appearing on either side of me. I had come all the way into the countryside.

The only thing left for me to do was to find the nearest railway station.

The writer believed that if you wanted to get to know a strange city, ______.

A. you should go everywhere on foot          B. you should have a map

C. you should ask people the way                       D. you should get lost

The newspaper-seller ______.

A. could understand what he said         B. didn't know what he said

C. laughed at him                       D. didn't want to take the money

The writer's real trouble was that _______.

A. he couldn't speak the language

B. he followed the policeman's direction

C. he took the wrong bus                   D. he left the town-centre

The policeman ______.

A. didn't help him                                             B. pointed at him

C. didn't understand what he really meant  D. didn't know the way

My name is Liana Wexler. I’m 12 years old, and I am the founder of “Kids for Kerry”. “Kids for Kerry” is a grassroots organization of kids that support John Kerry, want to help their futures, and get active in politics.  

When my parents went to see Teresa Heinz Kerry speak, they told me that she was amazing! And they thought John Kerry would make a great President. I decided to find out more about John Kerry. I talk about what I learned by using my ABCs. “A” is America. John Kerry is a hero to America, and he will help our futures. He is a great and positive role model. “B” is Better education. John Kerry wants to make class sizes smaller, so that children get the best part out of learning. He wants to help teachers because being a teacher is educating children, and letting them out into the world to do the good things. “C” is Compassion（怜悯;同情） towards children. John Kerry wants to make sure that health care is not a privilege, but it is something that we can all afford. This summer, I was supposed to go to my favorite camp But instead, I decided to go to John Kerry’s office every day. Kids can really help! 

On KidsforKerry.org, we have an interactive presidential quiz. There are 270 questions for the electoral votes John Kerry will win. Plus, 25 questions to make up for Florida from the last election. Out next goal is to have a petition (请求) for “National No Name—Calling Day”, a day that the candidates don’t say anything negative about one another. When our Vice President had a disagreement with a Democratic Senator, he used a REALLY BAD word. If I said that—if I said that word, I would be put in a “time-out (暂停休息)”. I think he should be put in a time-out.

What would be the best title for this passage?

A. John Kerry                B. A letter to John Kerry

C. Kids for Kerry              D. John Kerry: Our to-be President

According to the passage we know that____.

A. only children in America want John Kerry to be their next President

B. John Kerry cares much for education but takes little compassion on teachers

C. Liana wishes John Kerry to be the President of America

D. Liana thinks John Kerry should be put in a time-out

Liana Wexler considers John Kerry to be____.

A. a good                      B. a hero to America

C. a confident man             D. a persuasive speaker

Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

A. “Kids for Kerry” is a grassroots organization of kids that support whoever wins the presidential election.

B. Liana Wexler is the founder of “Kids for Kerry”

C. “Kids for Kerry” has an interactive presidential quiz on-line.

D. Education and health care are two things-with which American citizens concern themselves most.

More and more students want to study in“hot”majors. 1 a result, many students want to 2 their interests and study in these 3 such as foreign languages, international business and law, etc.

Fewer and fewer students choose scientific majors, 4 maths, physics and biology, and art majors, 5 history, Chinese and philosophy.

 6 students can study in these“hot”majors, because the number of these“hot”majors 7 limited.

If one 8 interest in his work or study, 9 can he do well? I 10 this from one of my classmates.He is 11 the countryside.His parents are farmers.Though he 12 biology, he chose“international business”.He 13 to live a life which is different 14 of his parents.  

In the end, he found he 15 in doing business.He found all the subjects to be 16 . 17 this wouldn't have happened if he had chosen his major according to his own interests.

Choosing a major in university 18 decide one's whole life.Majors 19 are not“hot”today may become the“hot”major of tomorrow.

Choosing your major according to your own 20 is the bestway to succeed.

1.A.Being B.For    C.Having D.As

2.A.give up    B.appear  C.give     D.master

3.A.place B.room   C.areas    D.space

4.A.for example     B.much as      C.and so on    D.as a result

5.A.even B.like      C.just      D.or

6.A.Only a few      B.Quite a few C.Perhaps       D.Many

7.A.is      B.are       C.would be     D.have been

8.A.had no     B.had      C.has no  D.has

9.A.why  B.and what     C.how     D.and how

10.A.suggested       B.guessed       C.searched      D.learned

11.A.out of     B.off       C.in D.from

12.A.studied   B.likes    C.learns   D.succeeds to study

13.A.wants     B.doesn’t want       C.enjoys  D.doesn’t like

14.A.from which    B.from that     C.for which    D.for that

15.A.was interested       B.was clever         C.was not interested D.was not clever

16.A.lovely    B.rare     C.obvious       D.tiresome

17.A.So B.Then    C.Just then     D.Maybe

18.A.can B.does not      C.probably     D.perhaps       not to

19.A.on which       B.in which      C.which  D.——

20.A.interests  B.experience   C.mind    D.heartCloze

I don’t ever want to talk about being a woman scientist again. There was a time in my life when people asked constantly for stories about what it’s like to work in a field dominated by men. I was never very good at telling those stories because truthfully I never found them interesting. What I do find interesting is the origin of the universe, the shape of space-time and the nature of black holes.

At 19, when I began studying astrophysics, it did not bother me in the least to be the only woman in the classroom. But while earning my Ph.D. at MIT and then as a post-doctor doing space research, the issue started to bother me. My every achievement—jobs, research papers, awards—was viewed through the lens of gender (性别) politics. So were my failures. Sometimes, when I was pushed into an argument on left brain versus (相对于) right brain, or nature versus nurture (培育), I would instantly fight fiercely on my behalf and all womankind.

Then one day a few years ago, out of my mouth came a sentence that would eventually become my reply to any and all provocations: I don’t talk about that anymore. It took me 10 years to get back the confidence I had at 19 and to realize that I didn’t want to deal with gender issues. Why should curing sexism be yet another terrible burden on every female scientist? After all, I don’t study sociology or political theory.

Today I research and teach at Barnard, a women’s college in New York City. Recently, someone asked me how may of the 45 students in my class were women. You cannot imagine my satisfaction at being able to answer, 45. I know some of my students worry how they will manage their scientific research and a desire for children. And I don’t dismiss those concerns. Still, I don’t tell them “war” stories. Instead, I have given them this: the visual of their physics professor heavily pregnant doing physics experiments. And in turn they have given me the image of 45 women driven by a love of science. And that’s a sight worth talking about.

Why doesn’t the author want to talk about being a woman scientist again?

A. She feels unhappy working in male-dominated fields.

B. She is fed up with the issue of gender discrimination.

C. She is not good at telling stories of the kind.

D. She finds space research more important.

   From Paragraph 2, we can infer that people would attribute the author’s failures to ________.

A. the very fact that she is a woman

B. her involvement in gender politics

C. her over-confidence as a female astrophysicist

D. the burden she bears in a male-dominated society

What did the author constantly fight against while doing her Ph.D. and post-doctoral research?

A. Lack of confidence in succeeding in space science.

B. Unfair accusations from both inside and outside her circle.

C. People’s stereotyped attitude toward female scientists.

D. Widespread misconceptions about nature and nurtured.

Why does the author feel great satisfaction when talking about her class?

A. Female students no longer have to bother about gender issues.

B. Her students’ performance has brought back her confidence.

C. Her female students can do just as well as male students.

D. More female students are pursuing science than before.

What does the image the author presents to her students suggest?

A. Women students needn’t have the concerns of her generation.

B. Women have more barriers on their way to academic success.

C. Women can balance a career in science and having a family.

D. Women now have fewer problems pursuing a science career.